Your Seven Step Hiring Guide
This guide is primarily aimed at those responsible for professional, semi-professional, or leadership hiring decisions.
1) Writing A Job Spec That Actually Works
To assess someone effectively — when hiring, or in their current role or future potential — you need clarity on what you’re assessing for. A well-defined job spec makes evaluations sharper and more meaningful. That said, broader assessments still have value, especially when exploring development or career growth. Getting the spec right from the outset helps reduce hiring risk.
2) Sourcing Candidates
What you really need is a pool of relevant, high-quality candidates—people with the right experience, genuine interest, and availability to meet your hiring timelines. Recruitment is often far more complex and challenging than it appears.
Because hiring needs differ across job types, industries, seniority levels, and locations, it’s wise to explore different sourcing approaches. If you’re uncertain which strategy will work best, seek advice from peers in similar businesses who’ve successfully recruited for comparable roles.
If your company has a well-known brand, you may find that candidates apply directly or respond actively to your job ads. However, if your brand is less recognized, attracting interest can be more difficult. For professional or specialist roles, posting on LinkedIn can be hit or miss—your job may be buried among hundreds of similar listings and seen only by those actively job hunting. In contrast, top performers who are happy and successful where they are rarely browse job ads at all.
Your approach to sourcing candidates should align with the nature of the hiring requirement. You need to consider seniority, specialist skills, candidate availability or scarcity, the pulling power of your brand or lack of it. Methods include: job boards, recruitment agencies, employee referrals, and headhunters. The best approach depends on several factors: how easy it is to access your target talent, the level of seniority required, and the strength of your company’s brand. If you’re a large, prestigious business like Apple or Google, many people will seek you out and applying is easy. But for smaller or lesser-known companies, candidates won’t come directly—you’ll need to be more proactive in your outreach and engagement efforts.
Direct advertising or job boards suit entry-level and broad roles needing high volume applications, such as customer service or admin.
Recruitment agencies can be excellent sources for finding talent. Different agencies specialize in different job types and industries. For standard roles, they offer quick and easy access to candidates. For specialized positions or hard-to-find skills, they're highly effective. However, recruitment firms and their consultants vary significantly in competency and value delivered. Typical fees range from 15% to 25% of the salary package, usually payable on the candidate's start date. Most operate on a success-only basis - no win, no fee.
Employee referrals work well for organisations targeting strong cultural fit and reliable candidates, both for mid-level and specialist positions. However, if you set up an employee referral scheme, be mindful of the potential pitfalls—such as the “recommend a friend” or “recommend a failure” traps. Some people may simply want the finder’s fee, or feel sorry for someone struggling to find a job, rather than focusing on the best candidate for your company.
Headhunters are typically engaged for leadership and specialist roles, where stakes are highest and the best possible candidates must be found. While interpretations vary, headhunters differ from recruitment agencies in their thoroughness, their focus on employer interests, and their upfront retainer fee—plus shortlisting and completion fees. Total costs typically reach around 30% of salary. Like any profession, executive search firms vary significantly in expertise, service quality, and approach. Your consultant may range from someone new to the field to an expert with deeper recruitment knowledge than you possess.
Replacement and confidential hires! One of the most common reasons headhunters are appointed is to replace an incumbent job holder and line up a high-quality successor without the incumbent knowing they are being replaced. Headhunters can discreetly approach and assess prospective candidates without disclosing the client's identity in the initial stages, ensuring transitions remain private and business operations are not disrupted. This approach allows headhunters to candidly gauge interest, suitability, and qualifications, presenting only seriously aligned candidates to the client. By maintaining anonymity, companies protect morale and prevent speculation internally and externally. Headhunters also safeguard the confidentiality of both the client and candidate until a mutual fit is established, providing peace of mind throughout sensitive hiring processes.
Building a Question Bank
Before meeting candidates, establish a question bank and decide which questions to ask at each stage. Some qualities will matter most; focus interview questions on assessing candidates’ experience, skills, and motivations related to those areas across the interview stages.
Most Important Attributes
You need to identify the key attributes that matter most—ideally a manageable number, such as five or six. This should include specific acquired skills like leadership, scope and scale of experience, track record, and particular industry, job, or situational challenges. It’s essential to assess and distinguish these attributes from others in your evaluation
Other Attributes
It's particularly important that you determine what questions you'll ask.
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You’ll need to decide which qualities matter most and focus on assessing a manageable, realistic number—these important qualities will drive the outcomes expected of the job holder, so consider what those outcomes should be over the course of a year.
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Perhaps aim for 3–5 expected outcomes and 5–7 key qualities; you can find more details about this in the job spec guidelines “Creating a job spec that actually works.”
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Some qualities may be more significant than others; consider giving each a rating and listing the criteria in order of importance.
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One of the main benefits of rating candidates against these key qualities is that it enables not only an objective assessment against the role requirements, but also provides a benchmark for comparing candidates directly with one another.
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Determine which questions you can ask to assess candidates’ skills in these five to seven key areas.
As you progress candidates through your interview stages, you should continually build your understanding of each candidate’s strengths and weaknesses in these dimensions, using your ratings to support fair and informed comparisons.
Scroll down and you’ll see our suggestions for which questions to ask at which interview stages. You’ll have your own preferences and individual needs, so you’ll need to adapt this to fit your context.
Otherwise, you can copy and paste from the full list of questions here.
Assessing & Benchmarking People
Candidate Check List & Rating Sheet
Your best outcomes depend on thoroughly assessing how well candidates meet the most important attributes required.
Ratings:
5) Excellent: Does the candidate meet all aspects of the characteristic?
4) Good / suitable: The candidate gave suitable responses – meets the standard well.
3) Satisfactory: The candidate gave suitable responses – meets the standard.
2) Poor / some doubts: Not an area of strength – responses lack substance.
1) Unacceptable: Evident weakness – responses did not meet the standard.
Broader Criteria
In addition to the 5–7 criteria that matter most, there will be other factors that are important to you—a broader set of qualities to consider. Note that you cannot assess everything, given time constraints, and no candidate is perfect—nor is any job. There may be a further 15–20 characteristics you wish to consider, so be prepared to make brief notes on these during your assessment.
Your Interview Stages...
And who's going to do what?
Your company may have a clear recruitment process. If you don't we recommend the following:
Pre-Screening Interviews
For direct sourcing (not via an agency), arrange a pre-screening call with each candidate (typically 20–30 minutes). Internal recruiters or HR should usually handle this, but for specialist roles, you might prefer to conduct it yourself to better assess technical skills and position-fit. If you’re using a specialist recruitment firm or headhunting agency, expect them to take full responsibility for this initial screening.
First Interviews
The hiring manager (usually the candidate's future direct supervisor) should conduct this session, typically lasting about one hour.
Second interview
Bring in a second opinion—have the candidate meet with the hiring manager’s supervisor. Depending on the role, you may also incorporate a test, case study, role-play, or presentation at this stage. For senior positions, these more in-depth assessments can be deferred to a third stage. The hiring manager may attend and should use this opportunity to address any areas not covered previously.
Third & Subsequent Interviews
As you approach the final decision, ensure the hiring manager develops a comprehensive understanding of each finalist. It’s not unusual for a new hire’s true fit to emerge only after joining—often due to superficial interviews. For specialist and senior positions especially, aim to meet candidates multiple times: at least two or three meetings for most roles, and up to four or more for senior leadership or executive positions. These need not be one-to-one; group or panel sessions are valuable.
At advanced stages, involve others—such as peers, future collaborators, or relevant business leaders—to gather broader input and enable candidates to understand company culture and working relationships. For senior or influencing roles (e.g. leadership, consulting, sales), consider a panel interview involving presentations and Q&A to assess communication, influence, and subject expertise.
Remain flexible: Depending on the role and candidate, peer meetings can occur in the second or third round, and leadership panels may follow. Adapt the order and participants to your company's structure and the complexity of each role.
General Principle
The more senior the position, the more thorough and multi-layered your assessment should be. For executive hires, it’s common for candidates to meet 5–7 stakeholders over several stages—this allows both sides to gauge fit and expectations fully
Watch Outs!
Capture feedback from others who meet with candidates, either through a shared question bank and template or, alternatively, by asking them to provide bullet-pointed feedback on plus points, minus points, and potential watch outs.
3) Pre-Screening
20-30 Minutes
Rather than jumping into an hour-long face-to-face meeting, you’ll probably want to start the interview process with a Zoom video meeting. Please note, if you choose to have a phone call, this is a very limiting approach—since you can’t see the person, you can’t observe how they present themselves, you can’t see how they react, and phone calls offer very limited scope for relationship building.
1) Intro, Small Talk, State Purpose
After the initial greeting and small talk, be clear with the candidate about what you’d like to cover—for example: five minutes on the company and role, ten minutes to understand their situation and skills in three critical areas (likely three of the most important attributes you’re looking for), and ten minutes for Q&A.
Explain that this is an initial exploratory 20–30 minute discussion to cover the basics of a potential match. If there is mutual interest, you can then arrange a follow-up meeting for a more detailed conversation
2) Establish Their Perspective First
Rather than elaborating on the job... You may prefer to ask:
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What’s your current situation? In other words, what has prompted you to pursue opportunities with us?
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What kind of opportunity are you looking for? Or, to put it another way, what type of role and qualities are you seeking in your next position?
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What do you do best?
3) Briefly Outline Company and Role Info
Share more about your company and the role Keep this tight. For example, highlight 3–4 points about the company, and 3–4 key points about the role.
4) Explore their capabilities against the Most Important Attribute(s) you seek
Assuming you've identified the most important attributes required of someone in the role, focus some of your questions there - given this is a short screening meeting, we'd suggest you explore their capabilities in perhaps three of these.
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[Use the candidate’s first name.] The three most important capabilities we’re looking for in a candidate are: 1) XYZ, 2) XYZ and 3) XYZ. Could you share your experiences, skills, and successes related to these areas?
This keeps the conversation targeted and relevant for both sides, ensuring you can quickly gauge the candidate’s fit.
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You may now wish to ask additional questions based on the candidates responses.
5) Make a Real Effort to Connect
This is a two-way process—at least, it is if you’re interviewing someone who could be a good fit for the job. You might not know this right away, but you can’t turn back the clock, so it’s important to present your company and the opportunity positively and with enthusiasm.
A Zoom meeting feels less personal than meeting face-to-face, so you’ll need to make a conscious effort to connect. If it’s a 30-minute Zoom, time for rapport-building is limited: look at the camera lens often (not just the screen), smile, nod, and engage in small talk to help build that connection.
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What questions do you have for me?
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Tell me, what are your initial impressions of the opportunity, we're recruiting into - what are the things you like about it, and the things you're not so keen on?
6) Their Situation, Interest Levels and Money
At the beginning of your conversation—following point 2—you’ll ideally have asked: “What’s your situation? What brought you here today, and what are you looking for?” If you’re interested in the candidate, you might follow up with: “How appealing is our opportunity to you? What timescales are you working to when considering a move, and when would you be available to start? Also, what are your salary expectations?” Often, candidates will respond by asking what the company is paying. Here, you’ll need to use your judgement. Be careful not to commit to any figure too early—you’ve only just met the candidate for 20–30 minutes and don’t yet know how qualified they are. You haven’t assessed their value or compared them with others in your company and what those employees are earning.
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What are your salary package expectations, and in what timescales are you available to start in a new job?
7) Prepare How You Will End the Meeting in Advance
At the end of the meeting, you’ll find yourself in one of three positions: you believe the candidate is credible, you’re unsure, or you don’t think they’re the right fit. If the candidate seems like a strong match, suggest a follow-up interview and outline your hiring process. If you’re uncertain, let them know you have more people to meet and that it would be best for both of you to reflect on the match - as well as on the other candidates - and reconnect within a week or two. If you know they’re not suitable, be direct but polite: explain you’re looking for someone with more significant experience in a particular area (such as XYZ), that you don’t see this as the right match, and thank them for their time and effort.
The Money Conversation
At some point, you’ve got to ask: What are your salary expectations?
Assuming you're impressed, this is the question that tells you what it'll take to get them. Even if you're not sure about the candidate, it's worth asking—it gives you benchmarks for others you’ll meet.
When to ask? Toward the end of the first meeting usually works best.
You’ve had enough time to get a feel for them, even if you’re still weighing things up. What if they play it back?
They might ask, What are you paying?
A fair response might be: “We’re flexible for the right person.” “That’s higher than we’d planned, but could be looked at.” Or, if there’s clear misalignment: “The top end of our range is £X, so there may be a gap here.” Keep these in mind: You won’t yet know how good they really are. You don’t know how keen they are. You’ll need to align with what others are paid in similar roles. Are you paying market rate—or behind?
Tip: Don’t lock yourself in too early.
Context matters—is this a rebuild, a stretch role, or a critical hire? That affects value and what you’re willing to pay. Clarify total comp. Say: “Just to be clear—when you say £X, does that include bonus, equity, benefits?” Sometimes it’s just base; other times, there's more to the story.
And remember—salary is only part of the picture. Flexibility, career growth, equity and culture can all shift how a candidate sees value.
Rejecting People
The Mark of a Big Man or Woman!
A matter of manners, respect and professionalism.
Rejecting people
Someone's brother, sister, mother, father, daughter son...
There's an expression "People will never forget how you made them feel".
The incidence of people getting ghosted when they interview for jobs is extraordinarily high. Whether it's an application that never got acknowledged or following attending an interview or interviews, often employers go all quiet on candidates - they attend interview and don't hear anything back, for days, weeks or not at all.
If someone's unemployed it hurts even harder, if they're employed they'll feel like they wasted their time - they'll think your a bad egg and your company's rubbish.
You don't want people to feel resentment to you or your company. Appreciate also that people have family and friends, the people you interview all have family brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons etc - these people maybe customers or potential customers of yours. You don't want your company reputation to get sullied because you couldn't be bothered to respond!
There's an expression "manners maketh the man or woman"—so remember, a little courtesy goes a long way and the reputation you build, for yourself and your company, is shaped by every interaction.
The waiting game
One of the most common problems is when a candidate attends an interview and they're left waiting. Sometimes they've met with a hiring manager who hasn’t given an answer, and people end up waiting for a YES or NO to proceed. Similarly, it's common for the hiring manager to be still in their decision makin process - with more candidates to see or being unsure - and to go quiet on the candidate.
Instead of going all quiet, why not keep them warm? Here are some example phrases to use:
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"I just wanted to let you know you’re not forgotten."
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"You’re still in process; we expect to make a decision within the next 7–10 days."
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"We have more people to meet and anticipate getting back to you in about 2 weeks."
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"We’re grateful for the time you’ve invested in us—thank you.
On a broader basis...
Here's a number of phrases that you can copy, paste and tweak.
1. For applicants not chosen to meet
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Thank you for your application and interest. Whilst you have an impressive background, we’ve chosen to move forward with other candidates who have more relevant experience in the areas of most importance to us at this stage.
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Appreciate your interest in the role however we don't believe your background is what we're looking for, for this particular role at this time, so we won’t be progressing your application. We'd like to thank you for getting in touch and wish you well going forward.
2. For candidates you’ve met with once
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Thank you for meeting with us, discussing the role and your background. Whilst you have good credentials, we’ve decided to move ahead with other candidates who have stronger experience in the areas that matter most to us for what we need right now and so won't be progressing you to the next stage on this occasion. However we very much appreciate you spending time with us exploring this and wish you well going forward.
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Thanks for meeting with us to discuss the position and your background, we very much appreciate your time and interest in the role however we don't believe your background is what we're looking for, for this particular role at this time, so we won’t be progressing your application. Thank you once again, for spending time us and wishing you well going forward.
3. For candidates you’ve met with multiple times
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I'm writing to let you know we won't be moving forward with your application for this role. While you have strong credentials for what’s required, we’re pursuing a candidate whose skills more closely match our current needs. This was a tough decision, as your experience is very relevant. We truly appreciate the time, effort, and energy you’ve devoted to our process
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I'm writing to let you know we won't be moving forward with your application for this position. While you have strong credentials for what’s required in the role, we felt there were some gaps. This is a significant decision for us, and I appreciate it is for you as well. It was a tough choice, as your experience is very relevant. We truly appreciate the time, effort, and energy you’ve devoted to our process.
4) First Interviews
Pre-Screen Completed?
This assumes that either you’ve already conducted a screening call, or a headhunter/internal recruiter has done so on your behalf. If not, we recommend that your first conversation is pre-screening in nature, as outlined above in Step 3. Some of the questions will be the same or similar to those you asked in the screening call—the purpose of repeating them is clarification and, in a first interview, to develop a deeper understanding of the candidate’s relevance.
Structure: Introduction | Opportunity Overview | Past | Present | Future
1) Set the agenda.
Start by telling the candidate what you’d like to cover: clarifying their current situation, discussing the company and role, exploring their background (including past achievements, present skills, and future aspirations), and ending with a Q&A session.
Be clear that you’ve set aside 45–60 minutes.
Explain that at times you may need to interrupt them. That the conversation will be structured to make the most of the time. Begin by spending the first 10-15 minutes discussing the company and role to give them a clear understanding of the opportunity. Then, dedicate the next 20 minutes to focus on their relevant experience—covering their career history, current role, and goals for the future. Finally, reserve approximately 15 minutes at the end for a Q&A session to address any questions they may have.
Explain you may at times interrupt them. Let the candidate know that, in the interest of keeping the discussion on track and covering all the key areas, you may occasionally need to guide the conversation or interrupt. Reassure them that this approach is to ensure the conversation remains productive and valuable for both sides.
2) Ask them about and clarify their current situation.
Why are they here or interviewing for new jobs?
3) Discussing the opportunity.
Begin with what the candidate knows about the company and role. Ask them what they already know, and elaborate further.
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Based on what you’ve observed so far, what is your understanding of the nature of the opportunity we’re recruiting for?
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I’m interested in learning more about your experience and suitability for the role. Before I ask you various questions, let’s spend 10-15 minutes discussing the company and the role. What would you like to know more about?
4) Discuss their PAST experience.
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Why did you choose the career path you have taken? (This question is particularly relevant for older candidates with multiple past roles.)
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Please give me a brief 10-15 minute overview of your career, covering what you’ve been doing, where, the reasons behind your choices, and your key achievements. I may occasionally interrupt at times to clarify points or ask for more detail.
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For candidates with extensive work histories, particularly older candidates, consider focusing on their most recent 10 years for example:
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Would you please give me a succinct overview of your last 10 years, what you’ve been doing, where, why you made those career choices, and what you feel you’ve accomplished?
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Ask them to elaborate on specific aspects that may be relevant or important in your assessment, as appropriate. For example, you can ask: For example, you can ask: ‘Why?’, ‘What do you mean by that?’ or ‘Can you tell me more?
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Be sure to keep the conversation focused and on track.
5) Probe for specific skills.
It’s particularly important to establish the candidate’s capabilities and credentials with respect to the most important attributes required for the role. Plan in advance which questions will best uncover this information. This section is among the most important in the interview and will likely require at least fifteen minutes of discussion.
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Ask questions specifically designed to uncover the candidate’s capabilities and credentials in relation to the most important attributes required for the role.
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What impact have you had in your role?
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Delve into recent, relevant achievements. For example, ask: What three accomplishments are you most proud of?
An accomplished interviewer, interviewing someone for a leadership or senior specialist position, who is both capable of properly asking questions, listening to answers, clarifying understanding and who is able to subtly move the candidate along is likely to take 75 minutes to cover all the Seven areas here.
Assuming you’ve set aside 60 minutes and that you're still interested in the candidate, you’ll need to revisit some of the questions at a second interview stage. However, be sure to ask the next question because if your job isn’t what they’re looking for, you’ve got a problem.
6) PRESENT...
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Tell me more about your current situation and what you are looking to do next.
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What are your motivations and priorities with respect to work?
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What do you do best? What are your strengths and weaknesses?
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You may also want to ask: When you reflect on your past, what types of activities have you enjoyed most, and which have you enjoyed least?
7) FUTURE:
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How do you wish to develop your career?
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What would you like to experience in the years ahead from your world of work?
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Alternatively - how do you wish to develop your career going forwards? (Future hopes/aspirations).
Shortly after the first interview, you should jot down any areas which, in hindsight, you feel you should have covered or areas that require further exploration. Be sure to include these points in your second interview discussions.
Don't Let Good Candidates Go Cold
If you want to attract and hire top talent, keep them engaged. If you lose momentum through delays and drawn out interviewing timelines, they'll go cold on you too. Don't risk watching the best walk away.
5) Second and Subsequent Interviews
Suggested approach
Bring in a second opinion—have the candidate meet with the hiring manager’s supervisor. Depending on the role, you may also incorporate a test, case study, role-play, or presentation at this stage. For senior positions, these more in-depth assessments can be deferred to a third stage. The hiring manager may attend and should use this opportunity to address any areas not covered previously.
Clarify their understanding of the role
What is their understanding of your company, culture, and working environment? Does the candidate understand the exact nature of the job—what’s required and expected? Consider starting the second interview by asking them about this.
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Based on what you’ve learned so far, how would you describe our company and the way we operate?
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Based on what you’ve heard and researched so far, how do you understand this role and what it involves?
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How interesting is this job to you? What do you like most about it, what concerns you, and how do you feel about it overall?
You'll want to elaborate accordingly, addressing any gaps or misunderstanding. Assuming the candidate is a good one, if they have reservations you may wish to outline the merits of the opportunity however you don't want to oversell it.
You do not want the candidate to commence in the role having misinterpreted what is required.
By outlining the specifics, you can interpret the candidate’s responses and body language, which may confirm their ability and interest - or reveal shortcomings, indifference, or worse.
Ultimately, recruitment done properly is about recruiting the right people, into the right jobs for the right reasons.
Probe the Most Important Attributes
Have you properly uncovered the candidate’s capabilities and credentials in the most important attributes you seek?
Whilst you may have previously asked the candidate about their skills in these areas, their answers—and your understanding - may be incomplete; therefore, you may need to revisit this.
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What impact have you had in your role? What results have you achieved, and what has been your contribution to them?
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What impact have you had in your role?
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Delve into recent, relevant achievements. For example, ask: What three accomplishments are you most proud of?
Outstanding areas!
Reflect on what you did not cover thoroughly in the first interview: Questions you should have asked and topics you should have addressed.
You may wish to clarify their current situation and what they are looking to do next.
Similarly, you may want to explore their motivations and priorities with respect to work.
Motivations need to be aligned with the job to drive performance, and priorities need to be in sync.
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How do you see yourself / your strengths and weaknesses?
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You may also want to ask: When you reflect on your past, what types of activities have you enjoyed most, and which have you enjoyed least?
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How do you wish to develop your career? What would you like to experience in the years ahead from your world of work? Alternatively - how do you wish to develop your career going forwards? (Future hopes/aspirations).
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How would your boss / colleagues describe you?
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What did your last appraisal say?
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Tell me about a good boss you have had? How do you like to be managed?
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How do you best learn?
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What do you think your developmental needs are?
Additional ad-hoc meetings or calls
Following first, second, and subsequent interviews, it’s possible you’ll have additional things you’d like to find out about particular candidates—and vice versa. So, you may wish to simply schedule calls or Zoom meetings accordingly.
Furthermore, keep in mind that an ad hoc call or meeting can be a great way to discuss something that may be awkward, or to explore an area where you really want to probe a candidate further.
As you approach the final decision, ensure the hiring manager develops a comprehensive understanding of each finalist. It’s not unusual for a new hire’s true fit to emerge only after joining—often due to superficial interviews. For specialist and senior positions especially, aim to meet candidates multiple times: at least two or three meetings for most roles, and up to four or more for senior leadership or executive positions. These need not be one-to-one; group or panel sessions are valuable.
Third & Subsequent Interviews
At advanced stages, involve others—such as peers, future collaborators, or relevant business leaders—to gather broader input and enable candidates to understand company culture and working relationships. For senior or influencing roles (e.g. leadership, consulting, sales), consider a panel interview involving presentations and Q&A to assess communication, influence, and subject expertise.
Remain flexible: Depending on the role and candidate, peer meetings can occur in the second or third round, and leadership panels may follow. Adapt the order and participants to your company's structure and the complexity of each role.
Panel Interviews - Candidate Presentations & Role Plays
The subject and type of exercise needs to be relevant to what's required in the role. Best practice suggests that this should be aligned with what the most important outcome/s are required of the job holder.
Sometimes employers simply want to understand how well a candidate can present their ideas—how effective and influential are they?
When???
You'll need to decide when you want a candidate to undertake such an exercise. For a specialist individual contributor role, you may wish to do this as part of a second stage; however, for a leadership role, probably a third stage.
You'll need to be cognizant of the importance of developing some rapport and generating candidate interest in the opportunity before making big asks of them regarding time and preparation. Having met with them previously, hopefully you'll have a reasonable understanding of their motivations for a potential move and their interest level. Sometimes this exercise can be a good opportunity to gauge their interest level—how serious are they?
For senior/professional-type roles, it may be appropriate to ask the candidate to give a presentation: "How would you approach your first 100 days in the role?" OR "How would you go about undertaking a particular task?"
For senior leadership hires, you'll probably want to understand their strategic thinking in relation to the most important challenge or challenges of the role—that is, what their approach would be and either how they'd approach it over the first 3, 12, 24 and 36 months, or otherwise leave it open—simply asking how they'd approach it without expressing any timelines. Three months is important because you'll want some immediate impact in the role.
You may wish to be more specific and state you'd like to understand how they'd go about the particular challenge, and for them to cover three to five specific areas of your choosing.
You may wish to ask the candidate to give their presentation in a talk-through manner—meaning that they should present and talk through their ideas, and expect an interactive discussion whilst doing so. In this way, you can better tune into their thinking and ability as opposed to them simply presenting some pre-prepared content—perhaps not even their own.
It is quite commonplace for employers to state very clearly to candidates that a presentation should be no more than 20 minutes and that a hard stop will take place regardless of whether the presentation is completed or not. Alternatively, you could say that you'd like them to prepare a 20-minute presentation and that you'll add in 10–15 minutes as a Q&A to talk about it because you'll probably have questions as they're talking through it.
If you ask the candidate to make a presentation, be sure to email the details so that what is expected is not subject to misinterpretation.
Use of role plays—these would be more commonly used in senior specialist individual contributor roles. Again, it is very important that parameters and expectations are clear. You may wish to outline the role play at the second interview so that you can see how well the person responds. Alternatively, you may wish to email the details so that they can prepare accordingly.
NB: To properly compare one candidate to another, you need to stick to the same formula.
Benchmarking and assessing people
In the context of evaluating candidate suitability and comparing one candidate to another, you need to benchmark candidates against the most important criteria.
Not only should you apply a benchmarking and rating system as outlined below, but you should also ask yourself three simple questions: Can they do the job? Do they want the job? Will they fit in?
Use a rating system to assess the five qualities most likely to shape candidate success or failure on a scale of one to five for competencies, experience, and track record.
Rating:
5) Excellent: Does the candidate meet all aspects of the characteristic?
4) Good / suitable: The candidate gave suitable responses – meets the standard well.
3) Satisfactory: The candidate gave suitable responses – meets the standard.
2) Poor / some doubts: Not an area of strength – responses lack substance.
1) Unacceptable: Evident weakness – responses did not meet the standard.
You should verify key details like salary, qualifications, and references early in the process.
The above offers a quick set of practical tips to help you conduct second and subsequent interviews. For a deeper dive and a more comprehensive overview, click below to read our full "Second & Subsequent Interviews" guide (PDF).
6) The Offer Accept Stage
Recruitment can be distracting, time consuming and frustrating. Invariably it's positive, it can be exciting and transformative. It's important to communicate the offer promptly, clearly outlining all terms and benefits. Encourage the candidate’s excitement, answer any final questions, and provide guidance on next steps to ensure a smooth transition into their new role.
Taking Up Soundings
A sounding is a verbal reference taken on someone. This can be done for both prospective new hires and existing employees. Taking up multiple soundings can be particularly advantageous.
In the context of a new external hire, taking up a sounding can help you better understand whether someone may be a good fit for the position, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.
Similarly, for existing employees, soundings can provide deeper insight into their potential—an important factor when developing people, raising performance, and assessing for promotion. In this case, you might take soundings from the person’s manager, their manager’s manager, peers, subordinates, and colleagues in other departments they work with.
There are several merits to doing this. First, when asked about someone, a referee will often—perhaps inadvertently—reveal insights into the individual’s emotional intelligence.
For example, they may comment that the person’s motivations were (or weren’t) aligned with the job, that they were popular, or that they were aggressive or a pushover—failing to be assertive. Taking up soundings offers you the opportunity to uncover a person’s strengths and weaknesses, areas for development, and how they are best managed.
Offer Accept Checklist
1) Will the person you are offering be accepting the job?
2) When can they start?
3) How will they respond to a counter offer?
4) Offer Letter/Contract Acceptance - Sent & Signed Both Sides?
5) References checked
6) Start date agreed, complete admin i.e. entry onto staff records, payroll and benefits etc
7) Prepare welcome for start date
7) How To Best Approach The First 100 Days
Depending on what and whom you choose to believe, 60% of new hires succeed and 40% fail. When people fail, it can be because there's mis-match, they're simply not suited and or expectations were not clearly set. Another obstacle is that starting in a new role is daunting, people can feel apprehensive weeks or even months into a new role. An overlooked issue, is quite simply, quite importantly emotional support.
The Nuances of Hiring into Leadership Roles
Hiring senior executives isn’t standard recruitment. These roles demand leaders who shape your organization’s future—making the stakes and challenges much higher. This guide, featuring headhunter Robert Tearle’s expert insights, reveals the key differences, pitfalls, and essential steps in executive hiring—from identifying true leadership to managing confidentiality. Make smarter decisions, position your roles competitively, and secure top executive talent for your organization’s success.
Hiring senior leaders is fundamentally different from hiring for mid-level or junior roles. Here are seven reasons why:
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Strategic impact: Senior hires carry greater long-term weight. Their decisions shape direction, culture, and performance, so the thinking behind their selection must be deeper and more strategic.
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Leadership over skills: Beyond functional expertise, they must bring leadership qualities such as vision, adaptability, resilience, and the ability to influence at the highest level.
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Risk mitigation through soundings: Off-the-record conversations and discreet references (or “soundings”) are essential. They reduce the risk of a misstep in high-stakes decisions.
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Higher stakes require a more sophisticated approach: This applies to both the employer and the candidate side.
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Confidentiality is often a priority: Many senior hires involve sensitive contexts, such as replacing an incumbent, market entry, or transformation initiatives. Discretion is non-negotiable.
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More subject to change: Roles—and even business models—are more fluid at this level. Senior executives must thrive amid uncertainty and help lead others through it.
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Timescales are longer: Often three to six months versus three to six weeks.
1) Strategic Impact
The more senior the hire, the more the role focuses on shaping strategy rather than implementing it, with an emphasis on strategic versus tactical objectives.
Accelerated Growth | Crisis Turnaround
Transformational or Cultural Change
Senior remits often involve long-term initiatives like acquisitions, organic growth, or selling the business. CXO and senior management roles align with the company's long-term goals: buy, sell, or grow.
Individual contributors, by contrast, focus on short-term objectives such as new sales, supplier consolidation, or service improvement. Exec hiring needs are shaped by current business challenges and the context in which the vacancy arises.
Replacing a top performer who resigned may differ from filling a position vacated due to poor performance. Different challenges—accelerated growth, crisis, turnaround, or cultural change—can shape hiring requirements.
Senior roles tend to address multi-year goals, while individual contributors work on tactical, short-term objectives.
Consider both past and future challenges when defining what you need someone to achieve in a role.
The performance of an organization depends on the relevant executive, and the more senior the role, the broader the ripple effect of their performance across the business.
It’s more strategic.
Consider Short/Mid/Long Term Goals
You need to think not just about what your business wants to achieve this year, but what it must accomplish over the years to come. That means considering both your goals and the challenges and surprises that may arise.
Ask: what will this job truly require over a multi-year period?
A senior hire can have 5X, 10X, even 100X the impact of a typical hire. Their ripple effect influences revenue, cost, profit—and ultimately ROI for owners or shareholders. At this level, performance outcomes can swing by 40% either way.
Leadership style and values matter. You need someone who attracts top talent and inspires high achievers and future leaders.
The larger the business, the greater the ripple—and the longer it may take to feel the impact.
So start with the long-term vision. Define what’s truly needed, then work backwards.
NB: If they can’t excel this year, the rest doesn’t matter.
2) Leadership Over Skills
Integrity and responsibility.
Investors and business owners now prioritize managing businesses with responsibility and integrity.
Emotional intelligence:
Leaders with high emotional intelligence (EI) are 40% more successful. Senior executives who nurture strong relationships through high EI often succeed, while those lacking it may fail.
One of the characteristics of emotional intelligence is social management i.e. driving results through people. In leadership this is a key attribute, assertiveness is important.
‘A’ player leadership quality:
The four ‘E’s of leadership: Energy, Energizing others, the Edge to make tough decisions, and the ability to Execute on promises.
The context of results:
Hiring decisions are based on past results, but it's essential to distinguish between a candidate’s direct impact on outcomes. Someone may have failed in a thriving business or succeeded in a failing one due to factors beyond their control. Evaluate the candidate’s past impact on results. Did they truly influence business outcomes? In interviews, explore how they might move the business forward and their approach to future challenges.
Growth potential:
Assess their ability not just to meet current demands but to grow as the business evolves. Key leadership qualities play a critical role here.
3) Risk Mitigation Through Soundings
Soundings are critical to understanding a candidate’s true potential.
A sounding is an informal reference—an opinion or perspective about a candidate, typically gathered to validate impressions or gain deeper insight into their character, performance, or leadership style.
When to Use a Sounding
A common approach is to ask the candidate for permission to take a sounding once the interview process is well-advanced. This might involve speaking with a former manager or colleague—ideally someone who has since moved on from their shared employer.
In other cases, companies may pursue a blind reference—a sounding conducted without the candidate’s knowledge. This method should be approached with extreme caution. Any inadvertent disclosure could seriously compromise the candidate’s position and reputation at their current employer.
Why Soundings Matter
Soundings can reveal critical insights into a candidate’s judgment, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotional intelligence (EI). Interestingly, those offering input often disclose far more than they realise—through tone, emphasis, and the details they choose to share.
How to Conduct an Effective Sounding
The most useful soundings blend general impressions with targeted questions. Examples include:
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“What was your working relationship with the candidate?” (e.g., peer, manager, direct report)
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“How would you describe them professionally?”
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“What was the scope and complexity of their role?”
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“How would you describe their leadership style?”
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“How did they perform in high-pressure or ambiguous situations?”
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“What was their role in [specific project]?”
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“How were they perceived by peers, subordinates, and senior stakeholders?”
4) Requires a More Sophisticated Approach
Prospective high performing employed candidates are more likely to say “No” to a direct approach.
And it’s not just about confidentiality. Hiring senior executives requires a more refined approach, as it's a major decision for both parties. This shouldn't be underestimated. Tact is essential, as senior execs are often concerned about confidentiality and won't respond well to direct approaches.
Many employed execs, especially from competitors or closely aligned industries, are unlikely to engage in direct dialogue. This makes them harder to reach.
A headhunter can be invaluable here, acting as a sounding board to shape your requirements and offering a second set of eyes and ears. They can also discreetly gather insights on candidates without exposing their interest in the role.
Positioning the opportunity is key. Senior roles come with a smaller talent pool, so you must carefully consider why a smart, in-demand exec would be interested and how to present the role to them effectively.
5) Confidentiality is a Priority
Confidence needs building on both sides
Hiring senior executives requires a sophisticated approach. It’s a bigger decision for both parties, and high-performing execs need to be courted diplomatically.
Many are familiar with hiring active job seekers, but it's a different game when targeting employed high achievers who are well-integrated and respected in their roles.
Engaging their interest takes time, and you need to tune into their perspective. Few know how to hire candidates who may be content where they are. This is one of a number of critical areas in which headhunters add value. They use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to ensure client confidentiality, allowing for open dialogue without exposing the candidate’s job search.
The opportunity must be positioned well. Senior roles come with a smaller talent pool, so you must carefully consider why a smart, in-demand executive would want to take up this role and how to present it.
CXO types often have little tolerance for lengthy hiring processes, especially when they aren’t actively looking. The process must be handled with balance and finesse.
Confidentiality is magnified when you’re replacing an incumbent job holder.
Confidential hires often occur when a team shouldn't know someone is leaving, or more discreetly, when an incumbent needs to be replaced. This happens if the current person isn't meeting targets, lacks leadership, or doesn't have the qualities to take the business forward.
In these cases, headhunters are frequently commissioned to find a new hire without the incumbent being aware. They can approach candidates without revealing the company’s name and assess if they possess the necessary skills and qualifications. This process ensures prospective candidates are pre-qualified before moving forward, keeping the current job holder unaware of the situation.
By contrast, directly advertising or contacting candidates can tip off the incumbent that their position is being filled, compromising confidentiality.
Headhunters are critical in ensuring a smooth and confidential process, avoiding any leaks about an impending replacement.
6) More Likely to be Subject to Change
Shifting priorities may require adjusting the candidate profile mid-process.
When making senior hires, the goalposts often shift as the process unfolds. At the start, the focus may be on finding a candidate with specific technical expertise or industry knowledge, but as conversations progress, broader leadership qualities become more critical.
Hiring for senior roles is not just about ticking boxes for skills and experience. It’s about finding someone who can align with the company’s evolving strategic vision, lead through change, and inspire teams. During the process, decision-makers often realize they need more than just technical expertise; they need someone who can shape the future of the organization.
As business challenges are discussed, new priorities emerge—perhaps the need for a leader who can handle crisis management, drive a turnaround, or manage cultural transformation. These shifting priorities may require adjusting the candidate profile mid-process.
Moreover, senior hires need to fit with the company’s long-term goals, not just its current needs. As business landscapes change, so too must the expectations from senior leaders. A candidate who looked like a strong fit initially may no longer meet the revised criteria as discussions progress.
This fluid nature of senior hires means flexibility is crucial throughout the process, as companies must adapt their search to ensure they find not just a capable leader, but the right one for both present and future demands.
7) Timelines are Longer
Three to Six Months
Hiring cycles for senior executives are often much longer and more time-consuming than for regular roles. Senior execs have fuller diaries, more demands, and greater responsibilities, making scheduling difficult on both sides. Appointment changes are also more frequent at this level due to shifting priorities.
Sourcing Candidates 4 Weeks
There is also more caution during the hiring process, with more stages involved and decisions not rushed. Notice periods for senior execs typically range from three to six months, and many may want to finish ongoing projects before leaving. This needs to be considered early in the interview process when evaluating candidates.
Four, Five, Six, Seven+ Interview Stages
For regular roles, the recruiting cycle may last under four weeks, but for senior and specialist roles, expect the process to take 4 to 8 weeks and for leadership roles, expect it to look more like even 3 to 6 months. Working with a headhunter helps maintain momentum and manage expectations.
Delays on Both Sides
There’s always a gap between the ideal scenario and reality. You want to avoid a drawn-out hiring process, but delays are common due to illness, holidays, or shifting priorities on both sides.
Notice Periods 4-12 weeks
To prevent unnecessary delays, it’s essential to approach the process with a sense of urgency while remaining flexible about the inevitable challenges.
Decision and Indecision
Someone's got to take the lead. This is especially important when making C-suite hiring decisions. In recruitment situations, there are invariably multiple stakeholders and different people can have different opinions. There’s a need to drive consensus, otherwise you risk having too many cooks in the kitchen.
Conclusion!
Senior hires are strategic decisions that require you to think beyond immediate needs and consider your mid and long-term goals.
If the role reports to you, it's crucial to take ownership of the hiring decision. Meet with the candidate at least three times to ensure you've properly assessed their fit. One or more of these meetings could be a phone call for convenience, but make sure you get to know the candidate well.
Understanding a senior hire’s character and abilities at a deeper level is key. At an advanced stage, consider taking up a sounding with a former employer before reaching the offer stage. This helps confirm the candidate’s suitability and ensures no surprises.
Top candidates are in high demand and often receive counteroffers, so it’s essential to build interest and confidence throughout the interview process.
If you’re replacing a senior executive, lining up a discreet replacement is best done through a headhunter. Headhunters help reduce operational disruption by handling the time-consuming tasks of sourcing and screening candidates.
Lastly, the hiring process for senior roles can be lengthy. Approach it with urgency to avoid it becoming drawn out and distracting. Engaging a headhunter can help streamline the process and protect business continuity.
Miscellaneous
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Interview Question Bank
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Screening Interviews/Zoom
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What’s your current situation? In other words, what has prompted you to pursue opportunities with us?
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What kind of opportunity are you looking for? Or, to put it another way, what type of role and qualities are you seeking in your next position?
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What do you do best?
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[Use the candidate’s first name.] The three most important capabilities we’re looking for in a candidate are: 1) XYZ, 2) XYZ and 3) XYZ. Could you share your experiences, skills, and successes related to these areas?
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You may now wish to ask additional questions based on the candidates responses.
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What questions do you have for me?
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What are your salary package expectations, and in what timescales are you available to start in a new job?
First Interviews
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Based on what you've observed so far, what's your understanding of the nature of the opportunity that we're recruiting into?
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I'm interested to understand more about your experience and suitability for the role but before I ask you various questions, lets spend 10-15 minds discussing the company and the role - what would you like to find out more about?
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I'm interested to develop a better understanding of your background and past experiences, to understand your present situation and priorities, and what you'd like to experience going forward in the future.
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Why did you choose to take up the career path that you've taken up? (If the person is older rather than younger (e.g. 40+) and has had many jobs).
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Can you talk me through your last 5-10 years experience - what you've been doing, where, why you've made the choices you've made and what you feel you've accomplished? (If the person is older rather than younger (e.g. 40+) and has had many jobs).
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Talk me through your career, if you give me a quick 10-15 min explanation, covering what you've been doing, where, why you've made the choices you've made and what you feel you've accomplished? At times 'I may interrupt you to clarify points or for you to elaborate further.
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When you reflect on your past, what are the types of activities that you enjoy most (their likes) and what about the things that you don't enjoy so much?
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What are your strengths and weaknesses?
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What are you motivations and priorities with respect to work?
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Tell me more about your current situation and what you're looking to do next?
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What would you like to experience in the years ahead from your world of work? Alternatively - how do you wish to develop your career going forwards? (Future hopes/aspirations).
You may not have time to ask these next questions — if you do, great; if not, and assuming you’re interested in the candidate, you’ll probably want to cover them at the next stage.
• How would your colleagues describe you?
• What do you think your manager would say about you?
• What’s your preferred way of learning — on the job, through a course, by reading, etc.?
• How do you like to be managed?