The Hard Truth About Hiring in Agencies

Running a performance-driven digital agency for nearly 15 years comes with countless lessons—some uplifting, others painful. The biggest challenge hasn’t always been client campaigns, shifting algorithms, or the rise of AI. Surprisingly, it’s been on the people side: hiring, nurturing, and retaining the right talent.

And here’s the hard truth: the biggest hiring mistakes we’ve made were not because of flawed processes, but because of flawed attitudes.

Why Attitude Outweighs Skills

Skills are teachable. Attitude is not.

We’ve seen hires with strong résumés and polished interviews still fail because they lacked accountability, resilience, or the willingness to improve. Some examples we’ve encountered:

• Basic competency issues: repeated spelling errors in a content role, even with tools available like Grammarly, ChatGPT, and other AI tools readily available
  
  
• Probation challenges: exhausting 14 days of medical leave within just 5 months of probation, raising questions of commitment
  
  
• Deflecting accountability: shifting blame to “cliques” or “unfair treatment” instead of owning mistakes
  
  
• Resume déjà vu: resubmitting an updated CV to us… while still on probation
  
  

Online, these same individuals may portray themselves as “victims of toxic workplaces.” What doesn’t make it into their posts are the repeated errors, missed responsibilities, or resistance to process that affected client work.

In an agency, every mistake matters:

• Content Writer: A typo or sloppy copy weakens client trust
  
  
• Designer: A poorly sized visual or off-brand layout makes the client question professionalism
  
  
• Account Manager: A missed deadline or a wrong brief can jeopardize client retention
  
  
• Campaign Operations (COPs): A wrong campaign setting, misapplied budget, or targeting error can burn thousands of ad ringgits overnight
  
  
• Analyst: A misreported metric can lead to wrong client decisions
  
  

Every role carries weight because our clients don’t buy effort—they buy results. This is why we hold ourselves and our teams to high standards—because clients deserve nothing less.

The Other Side: Employees’ Perspective

To be fair, there are always two sides to the story. From the employee’s perspective, agency life can feel:

• Overwhelming workload
  
  
• Rigid in expectations
  
  
• Too process-driven, leaving little room for flexibility
  
  
• Challenging to fit in culturally
  
  

These feelings are valid. Agencies are not for everyone. They are high-pressure environments where client results matter more than comfort. What feels like “normal” to us can feel “unreasonable” to someone new.

The real issue is misaligned expectations:

• We expect accountability, grit, and continuous learning
  
  
• Some expect comfort, flexibility, and early validation
  
  

Neither is “wrong” in absolute terms. But in an agency that survives on client performance, the balance cannot tilt away from accountability.

Lessons We’ve Learned From Bad Hires

Every mis-hire hurts. It costs time, money, morale, and sometimes client trust. But each one also reinforces valuable lessons:

1. Attitude trumps skill. Skills can be taught, but mindset can’t
   
   
2. Probation is a two-way street. It’s not just for us to assess—it’s for hires to prove fit
   
   
3. Transparency protects both sides. Documentation of expectations and feedback is key
   
   
4. Resilience is non-negotiable. Agency life demands grit
   
   
5. The internet rarely tells the full story. Online rants are often one-sided
   
   

Proof of Resilience: A 15-Year Track Record

For context:

• Our longest-serving employee has been with us for over 10 years
  
  
• Our average tenure is 2–3 years—healthy by agency standards
  
  
• We’ve endured recessions, digital upheavals, COVID/MCO, and now AI
  
  

This survival is not luck. It’s the result of discipline, accountability, and a refusal to compromise on standards.

Why People Still Matter in the AI Era

With the buzz around AI, some might assume people are becoming less important. The opposite is true.

AI is a tool—powerful, but limited. Agencies still need people to:

• Interpret AI outputs in context
  
  
• Build trust and relationships with clients
  
  
• Spot the nuances that algorithms miss
  
  
• Take ownership of results
  
  

A bad hire amplified by AI only magnifies mistakes. A great hire empowered by AI can achieve extraordinary outcomes.

Key Takeaways for Jobseekers & Clients

• For Jobseekers: This agency isn’t for those seeking comfort. It’s for those hungry to learn, ready to grow, and resilient enough to thrive under high standards. With the right mindset, you’ll find opportunity here
  
  
• For Clients: The same standards we apply internally are what safeguard your campaigns externally. When we hold our team accountable, we are ultimately protecting your results
  

“We don’t lower standards to keep hires—we uphold them to keep clients.”

Final Thoughts

Our agency isn’t perfect. We make mistakes, and we’re still learning every day. But one truth remains: success is earned, not given.

We don’t owe anyone shortcuts, and the world doesn’t owe us easy wins. What we offer is opportunity—for those with the right attitude, resilience, and drive to deliver results.

That is how we’ve survived for almost 15 years. And that is how we’ll continue building for the next 15.

👉 For Jobseekers: If you’re hungry to grow in a performance-driven environment, explore opportunities on our Careers Page.

👉 For Clients: If you want a partner who values accountability and results, let’s talk. Get in touch with us.