You probably are already familiar with the old entrepreneurial adage, “Hire slowly. Fire quickly.”  Yet, entrepreneurs have the propensity to hire too quickly. They hire the first prospect they feel good about and bring them onboard, only to find out that initial wonderment is replaced by disappointment in the new hire.

The cycle of bringing someone in, and then losing them (and having to go through this cycle again and again) can be devastating to a business. But the trend persists since entrepreneurs are often in panic-mode: “We need to hire someone now!” Panic prohibits good hiring practices. Hiring too fast is a bad thing.

Hiring prematurely, though, may be the best decision. Hiring someone prematurely occurs when you find that “A-Player”- a rockstar that is good at what they do and what you need. And while their role may not be clearly defined in your organization yet, getting that person in the door may be more beneficial than having them slip through your fingers.

So here’s the approach you should take: Always build-up your bench of A-Players, and always keep your eyes open. Of course, you should be hiring for available positions. But even when you have nothing available, keep circulating because timing in this industry is everything. Hire prematurely, but don’t hire fast.