Let's talk about something that doesn't get nearly enough attention: hiring manager burnout.

If you're a design leader or hiring manager who's felt the weight of back-to-back hiring pushes, you know exactly what we're talking about. That feeling when your calendar is a sea of interview blocks, your inbox is overflowing with candidate profiles, and your actual team—the people who already work for you—are starting to wonder if you still remember their names.

We see it happen all the time. Companies launch aggressive hiring pushes and treat them like a sprint to the finish line, without acknowledging the massive additional load they're dropping on their managers' plates. Even the strongest leaders can hit a wall when they're trying to interview, evaluate, coordinate with recruiters, manage their existing team, keep projects moving, AND maintain some semblance of work-life balance.

The result? Rushed hiring decisions. Inconsistent candidate experiences. Exhausted managers. And ironically, longer time-to-hire because burnout slows everything down.

But here's the good news: it doesn't have to be this way.

Three Strategies to Hire Smarter, Not Harder

1. Use Hiring Sprints to Stay Focused

Stop trying to fill every open role simultaneously. Instead, break your hiring into manageable chunks by prioritizing critical positions first.

Start with leadership roles or positions that are blocking other hires. Once those are filled, move to the next tier. This approach gives your managers the bandwidth to be genuinely present with candidates—asking better questions, providing thoughtful feedback, and representing your team well.

When managers aren't drowning in interviews, they can actually focus on quality conversations that help both sides determine if there's a real fit. And candidates notice the difference between a leader who's engaged versus one who's clearly stretched too thin.

2. Bring in External Recruiting Support That Actually Gets Design

Not all recruiting help is created equal. Generic recruiting agencies often flood your pipeline with high volumes of mismatched candidates, which creates more work, not less.

Consider partnering with specialists who deeply understand design roles and have been hiring managers themselves. The right external partner can handle the upfront heavy lifting—sourcing, screening, and qualifying candidates—so your team only spends time with people who are genuinely strong matches.

This means fewer wasted hours in dead-end interviews and more confidence that when your managers are in conversation with a candidate, it's worth everyone's time. Quality over volume isn't just better for your team's sanity—it leads to better hires.

3. Deploy Contractors Strategically

Here's a strategy that serves multiple purposes: bring in contract designers to maintain momentum on day-to-day work while you're focused on long-term hiring.

Contractors can jump in quickly, keep projects moving, and take immediate pressure off your internal team. But there's another benefit: you get to see people actually do the work before making a permanent commitment. It's like an extended working interview that benefits both sides.

Your leaders can make informed, confident hiring decisions instead of rushed ones based purely on interview performance. And your team gets breathing room to participate in hiring thoughtfully rather than frantically.

The Bottom Line: Sustainable Hiring Practices Lead to Better Outcomes

When you implement these strategies, something shifts. Hiring becomes more efficient. Decisions become smarter. Your managers can actually breathe again.

And here's what really matters: you build a better candidate experience. When your team isn't burned out, candidates feel it. They have more meaningful conversations with engaged leaders. They get timely feedback. They see a team that has its act together.

That's the kind of experience that helps you close top talent—and it's the kind of foundation that sets new hires up for success from day one.

Ready to Rethink Your Hiring Approach?

If you're tired of the hiring-push-burnout cycle, let's talk about how to structure your next round differently. Whether that's hiring sprints, recruiting support, strategic contract placements, or a combination of all three—there are ways to hire effectively without sacrificing your team's wellbeing.

Because ultimately, taking care of your current team while building your future one? That's not just good leadership. It's good business.

Looking for recruiting support that understands the unique challenges of hiring design talent? Design Humans specializes in helping design teams hire efficiently without burning out their leaders.