The Hidden Costs of Bad Engineering Hires

Hiring the wrong engineer isn’t just a headache, it can throw projects off track, frustrate good people on your team, and damage client relationships. In automation and control work, where compliance and precision are everything, the cost of a bad hire tends to be even higher.

Project delays and overruns

When someone doesn’t really have the skills or experience for the job, problems creep in quickly. Maybe they misread the client’s requirements, maybe their drawings or documentation aren’t up to standard, or maybe they just don’t know the industry rules. That kind of thing means rework, non-compliance, and projects running over budget and schedule.

Team and culture issues

It’s not always just about the technical skills. Sometimes the bigger damage comes from people who can’t work in a team, or who bring a toxic attitude. Big egos can drive away the good engineers, create silos, and leave others carrying the load. Management often ends up stuck with the hire, which only creates more tension.

Costs you don’t always see right away

Beyond the salary, there’s the wasted time getting them onboarded, trained, and plugged into a project before you realize they’re not the right fit. There’s the hours lost when other people have to cover for them. And there’s the long-term impact on morale when the team feels like they’re being asked to carry dead weight.

How to lower the risk

The first step is being clear on what the role actually needs. Having a skills checklist for engineers can help frame things in precise terms. Involving management and technical leads in the interviews makes a difference too. It’s also worth paying attention to red flags, like someone who hops jobs before projects finish or who spends time talking badly about past employers.

Another way is to use a proper shortlisting process. When that process is overseen by engineers who’ve been on projects themselves, it’s easier to catch the gaps or red flags that don’t always show on the surface of a CV. That doesn’t mean outsourcing every decision, but having experienced eyes on the shortlist can reduce the chances of bringing in the wrong person.

A smarter approach to hiring

Bad hires are expensive in ways that aren’t always obvious at first. Clear role definitions, solid interview practices, and structured shortlisting make a big difference. And in specialized areas like automation and control, using focused resources like niche job boards or shortlisting support can save time and prevent costly mistakes.