18Fer here: Our team talent is tiny - I think three or four people. The amount of people in the pipeline is massive. They're inventing, and reinventing, processes left and right to improve. Also, at some point we have to hand off to GSA's hiring group for final paperwork, and we have less control over that process.
Also, we believe it's important to have the team you might work with do the interviewing, not just HR. Which unfortunately means we're often the problem - a fire with a client and suddenly you're down an interviewer, and we're not quite big enough to gracefully rebound and find a new one last minute.
All of which to say: not excuses, but hopefully gives you insight into some of our scaling troubles.
It doesn't sound like it's entirely your tream's fault, then. Not having enough time because of fires and such often screams to me of bad management towards the middle/top. And considering who you work for, that makes sense.
I wouldn't even say it's bad management. Emergencies do happen sometimes, and when that happens it sometimes has a bigger impact than "people can't buy pants on the internet right now."
Also, we believe it's important to have the team you might work with do the interviewing, not just HR. Which unfortunately means we're often the problem - a fire with a client and suddenly you're down an interviewer, and we're not quite big enough to gracefully rebound and find a new one last minute.
All of which to say: not excuses, but hopefully gives you insight into some of our scaling troubles.