Companies Are Hiring Wrong

Exhibit and event companies are back in the market.

They're just not hiring better.

Most are still hiring like it's five years ago. Same process. Same criteria. Same blind spots.

The market has changed. The talent has changed. The hiring approach hasn't.

The resume trap

Most hiring processes still start the same way: review resumes, look for titles, check boxes.

That works for junior roles. It breaks down at the level most exhibit builders and event agencies actually need.

A resume doesn't tell you who can win business, manage a client under pressure, lead a complex program, or recover when something goes wrong. Those are the roles companies say they need. But they screen for something else entirely.

"Industry experience" is misunderstood

Companies say they want industry experience. What they often mean is: has this person worked at a competitor?

That's not the same thing.

There are two very different candidates. Someone who has spent years in exhibits or events. And someone who can actually perform at a high level.

The best hires have both. But if you can't find both, performance matters more. Too many companies hire familiarity instead of capability.

The sales hiring mistake

Every company wants new business. Stronger pipelines. Revenue growth.

But many still hire based on personality, past company names, and how comfortable someone feels in an interview.

That's not how strong sales teams are built.

The right question is simple: has this person actually created revenue, or inherited it? There's a difference.

Project management and production are being underestimated

In both exhibits and events, these roles have changed.

Project Managers and Producers are no longer just coordinators. They're client-facing. They own delivery. They own margin. They own execution when the program goes sideways.

Yet many companies still hire based on organization skills, communication, and availability.

Those are baseline. Strong operators today need to manage complexity, make fast decisions, and own outcomes. That is a different profile entirely.

The biggest miss: hiring too late

Most companies wait until work is already coming in. Teams are stretched. Problems are visible.

Then they rush.

Rushed hiring produces average hires. Average hires cost more than the search did.

The better companies hire ahead of need, not behind it.

What strong companies are doing differently

The companies growing right now are not just hiring more. They're hiring differently.

They prioritize proven performance over familiarity. They hire for where the business is going, not where it's been. They move quickly on strong candidates. And they understand what a missed hire actually costs.

They treat hiring as a growth function. Not a support function.

The reality

The exhibit and experiential event industry is more competitive than it's ever been.

Clients expect more. Programs are more complex. Timelines are tighter.

That puts pressure on one thing: people.

And most companies are still hiring like that hasn't changed.

Final thought

Hiring is no longer about filling roles. It's about building capability.

The companies that figure that out will grow. The ones that don't will feel it in revenue, client retention, and execution. And eventually, in their reputation.

The talent is out there. The question is whether your hiring process is built to find it.

Cal Cook
EXHIBITRECRUITER | EVENTRECRUITER