Here’s the uncomfortable truth most talent leaders already sense: the headline numbers you see in press releases about the “average cost of a bad hire” are tidy, memorable, and mostly useless for real decisions—especially for early-career roles. The $15,000 to $17,000 claims make for a catchy hook. They don’t help you operate. If we want something that actually moves the needle, we have to ignore the PR and dig into how and where money really leaks when an intern, a new grad, or someone in their first professional role doesn’t work out.

A “bad hire” in this context isn’t a