Tips for Assessing Candidate Character

Most founders hire based on experience, but when you're looking for candidates who make a real impact fast, you need to approach hiring differently. After interviewing more than 500 candidates for 4 key positions over the last nine months, I reiterate myself on the three must-have traits to look for. Here’s what those are—and the exact questions I ask: 1. Intensity You can’t teach this. Some people push through roadblocks. Not because someone told them to, but because they’re wired to make things happen. How I test for it: ➝ Ask: “What gets you out of bed in the morning?” ➝ Ask: “What was the most intense period in your life?" ➝ Dig deeper by following up with clarifying questions. Sometimes it takes me 3 or 4 "whys" to uncover a gem ➝ Look for intrinsic motivation and examples of resilience, and a chip on their shoulder too 2. Street smarts There’s a difference between intelligence and practical intelligence. The best hires are results-focused and use common business sense to solve real-world problems without getting bogged down in analysis paralysis. How I test for it: ➝ Give them a messy, real-world problem and see how they approach solutions ➝ Ask: “Tell me about a time you had to make a decision with limited data. How did you approach it?” ➝ Look for adaptability—how quickly they filter noise and focus on impact 3. Low ego The highest performers don’t care about glory—they care about results. They take feedback, learn fast, and focus on the best idea, not their idea. How I test for it: ➝ Ask: “What’s your biggest failure?” and watch if they own it or deflect ➝ Ask: "Tell me of a time when you were coached. What happened?" and see what specific examples they share ➝ Give feedback during the interview - see how they respond in real time Don't hire based on what someone has done. Look for what they're capable of. What’s an underrated trait you look for when hiring?

At our company, we are big believers in hiring for attributes. Resumes can only tell you so much. Here are 10 super practical tips you can use in your hiring process to assess how well candidates will actually work on your team: 1. Scan resumes for signals of ownership Look for signs that the candidate was the one in charge. They led the team, were responsible for the business unit, or their decisions led to real outcomes. → Look for phrases like “built,” “launched,” “led,” “owned P&L,” “stood up,” “implemented from scratch.” → Red flag: “assisted with,” “supported,” “helped”—too vague. 2. Ask: “What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever built or fixed?” If you want people who will do hard things, it's great to find people who have done hard things. And building is freeakign hard. → Top candidates light up. They remember details. This also opens up questions for you on how they overcame certain obstacles, which can tell you a lot. → Weak candidates stay surface-level because that's all they did in the building process. 3. Give them a real-world problem to prep (not a pop quiz) → Use a current problem your business is facing. Change details as needed. → See how they structure, prioritize, and ask smart follow-ups. 4. Ask them to rewrite something (email, memo, process doc). Say who it is from, the audience, and purpose. See what they do with that. → Give them a rough draft and ask how they’d improve it. → Great candidates clarify, cut fluff, and explain why they made changes. → You’ll learn how they think, communicate, and handle ambiguity. 5. Run a 30-min working session with the hiring team → Watch them collaborate live on a scenario. → You’ll see more in 30 mins of live problem solving than 3 interviews. 6. Call a reference they didn’t give you → Ask, “Would you rehire them?” → Backchanneling (ethically) tells you what the formal process won’t. 7. Ask about their boss’s goals—not just their own → “What were your manager’s top goals last year, and how did you support them?” → Great candidates understand how their role fits the bigger picture, not just theirs as an individual. 8. Check for prep → Did they review your site? Ask smart questions? Mention something specific? → No prep = no real interest. 9. Use the ‘3-second silence’ test → Ask a tough question, then go silent. Let them think. → The ramblers and bluffers reveal themselves fast. As someone who was trained to hold difficult conversations in dusty corners of the world, has done 250+ podcast interviews, and talked to dozens of business owners about their business...silence is powerful. Use it. 10. Assign a one-page “walk me through your thinking” take-home → Doesn’t need to be complex. Just enough to see how they write and reason. If you are relying on job descriptions from Chat GOT, interviews, and gut instincts, you aren't going to make it. Anything else that should be on this list?

I just rejected the 'perfect' candidate. Harvard MBA. FAANG experience. Stellar portfolio. Why? Because I watched how they treated our receptionist. Here's the truth: The interview starts the moment they enter the building. My 5-point candidate evaluation checklist: 1. Pre-interview behavior 🔍 • How do they treat support staff? • Are they on time? • How do they handle waiting? 2. Real-world scenarios 📊 • No more "where do you see yourself in 5 years" • Instead: "Tell me how you'd handle [actual current challenge]" • Watch their thought process, not just the answer 3. Team interaction 🤝 • Informal coffee chat with potential teammates • See how they handle different personalities • Observe their listening skills 4. Follow-up quality ✍️ • Do they send thoughtful thank you notes? • Are they asking insightful questions? • How do they handle feedback? 5. Cultural contribution 🌟 • What unique perspective do they bring? • How do they handle disagreement? • What values do they demonstrate? The result? • Better culture alignment • Longer employee retention • Stronger team dynamics • Fewer hiring mistakes Remember: Skills get them through the door. Character gets them the job. What's your non-negotiable when evaluating candidates? Share your insights below! 👇 #HiringTips #RecruitmentStrategy #TalentAcquisition

The Hidden Interview Questions You Didn't Know Were Being Asked I spent Tuesday meeting five candidates for a senior sales role. By the time the last one left, I noticed something fascinating. Each person was answering questions I never actually asked. Here's what I mean: When Sarah arrived 15 minutes early, she showed me she values preparation and respects others' time. When Michael kept checking his phone, he told me his priorities might be elsewhere. And when Emma asked thoughtful questions about our company culture, she revealed her interest went beyond just getting a pay cheque. You see, the interview starts well before you sit down. As an experienced headhunter, I can tell you that hiring managers are constantly gathering data points that candidates don't realise are being assessed. Some of these hidden assessment moments include: How you treat the receptionist or junior staff Whether you researched the company properly Your body language while waiting How you handle unexpected hiccups (like a delayed interviewer) The questions you ask at the end I once worked with a client who rejected an otherwise perfect candidate because they were dismissive to the office assistant. That 30-second interaction outweighed an hour of brilliant answers. Think about your last interview. What signals might you have sent without knowing it? That email you took three days to respond to? The thank-you note you forgot to send? The next time you're up for a job, remember that everything from your arrival to your departure is part of the assessment. The most successful candidates understand that actions speak louder than rehearsed answers. #Recruitment #HiringTips #TalentAcquisition

Most hiring advice focuses on résumés and technical skills — and completely miss the point. The real way to identify top talent? Pay attention to how they think, communicate, and challenge ideas. When I was building proprietary tools for my business, I interviewed three candidates. First candidate: From the start, something felt off. His camera was blurry, his responses were vague, and he struggled to articulate his ideas. When I asked how he would approach a specific problem, he paused, mumbled a few disconnected thoughts, and quickly pivoted to something unrelated. It felt like he was grasping for the right answer instead of actually thinking through the question. Second candidate: He was polished and professional. He had a structured way of gathering information and asked all the expected questions—“What features do you need?” “What’s your timeline?” “What are the specifications?” It was a solid conversation, but something was missing. His focus was on execution, not impact. He never asked why I needed these features or how they fit into the bigger picture. Third Candidate: From the start, the conversation felt different. He listened carefully, then asked, “What’s the real problem you’re trying to solve?” Instead of diving straight into execution, he wanted to understand the users—who they were, what challenges they faced, and how the tool would address those challenges. When I explained one of my ideas, he paused and said, “That could work, but have you thought about doing it this way instead? It might be more efficient.” That’s when it clicked. The first candidate was lost. The second candidate could execute. But the third? He thought like an owner. He didn’t just follow instructions—he improved them. Some candidates focus on getting the job done. Others push for clarity, challenge inefficiencies, and think ahead. Those are the ones who truly make a difference. If you want to spot top talent, don’t just look for skills. Look for the ones who ask the right questions.

I let go of a ‘perfect’ senior leader six months after hiring him. Here’s why. A few years ago, we hired a senior leader through a reputable search firm. He came in well vetted, with a strong track record and high recommendations. 𝗢𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿, 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱. The selection process did a thorough job of assessing his IQ, technical knowledge, experience, and strategic thinking. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗘𝗤. In a healthcare organisation, every interaction carries emotional weight—with patients, families, and frontline staff. In that environment, 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 "𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹" 𝗴𝗮𝗽; 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸. That experience changed how I evaluate candidates. Now, I look for these 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗤 during the interview: 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽" How do they talk about people they have managed? Look for empathy and nuance. If they reduce their former team to mere performance metrics, it’ll tell you a great deal about how they will treat the next one. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝘆𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀-𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 Give candidates a scenario involving a messy conflict or a public failure. Don’t look for a "perfect" answer; watch their reasoning instead. Are they defensive? Do they deflect blame? Or do they show self-awareness and consider multiple perspectives? 𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁" Some of the most honest moments happen before the formal interview even starts. Always check: How did they greet the receptionist? How did they handle a 5-minute delay? How do they carry themselves when they think no one is evaluating them? 𝟰. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗜 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄" 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 High-IQ candidates sometimes struggle to say “I don’t know.” High EQ candidates are comfortable with uncertainty. That comfort is essential, especially in complex, people-first environments. This balance between IQ and EQ always reminds me of a scene from 𝘓𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘙𝘢𝘩𝘰 𝘔𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘩𝘢𝘪. Raju Hirani captures the friction between "corporate logic" and "human reality" so aptly without being obvious. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗤 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 "𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸"? Video Source: YouTube (Netflix)

Yesterday, a client shared how they turned down a candidate with an impeccable resume - Stanford MBA, McKinsey background, flawless interview answers. Why? Because perfect people often make imperfect employees. Here's what their 15 years of hiring has taught them: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁" 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀: 1. Never admits mistakes or uncertainties during interviews 2. Has rehearsed answers for everything 3. Talks more about what they've accomplished than what they've learned 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀: 1. They ask thoughtful questions about your actual problems 2. They admit when they don't know something - then explain how they'd figure it out 3. They've stuck with challenging situations instead of jumping ship 4. They're genuinely curious about your business, not just the role 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗺𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁: They describe a messy, ambiguous problem they're facing. Perfect candidates give consulting-speak solutions. Great hires ask follow-up questions and admit the complexity. The best employee they ever hired had a two-page resume with a six-month gap (caring for a sick parent) and asked if they could job-shadow for a day before deciding. That person stayed five years and built their most successful product. Skills can be taught. Character and work ethic? Those are formed long before they walk through your door. Stop hiring resumes. Start hiring humans. #hiring #litmustest #business #businessowners

We’re facing a key hiring decision. Candidate 1 has not held the job before, which seems like a big risk. However, she’s held a role in close adjacency to our spec. Her career trajectory shows successive roles in big & complicated organizations with high performance & advancement. A clear communicator, articulate in interviews, and enjoys strong work relationships. Co-workers report she keeps things fun while also being laser-focused on delivering results. She’s a straight shooter, known for being both direct & honest. HR has given full green light. Candidate 2 has held the job, and we really like that. However, he’s loose with the truth. In interviews he rambles and struggles to give clear answers to very simple direct questions. There are signs of cognitive decline. He sports a large ego and many who’ve worked with him refuse to do so again. They point to a lack of character. He’s had some business success, but also many failures & bankruptcies. He short-pays vendors. There’ve also been allegations of improper behavior with women and we know he made fun of a disabled person, too. HR has major concerns, and so does legal. Getting leadership right is paramount for enterprise success. Sometimes we make the calls more difficult than they need to be. 80/20, keep it simple.

We often hear about “red flags” 🚩🚩🚩🚩 but today, I wanted to focus on what makes certain candidates stand out. Sure, a quality resume, timely cover letters, punctuality in interviews (both virtual and in person), and professional conduct are givens, the real magic in my opinion is beyond these basics. Here are some green tips that would inspire me to champion you as a candidate during the hiring process: 💚You Did the Prep Work: Candidates who impress me are those who come prepared in a genuine way. They're knowledgeable about our company, products, and recent developments. Their passion for our IP/brand is evident but not overwhelming and they’re just as (if not more so) excited about their potential impact on the studios future if givent the role. Prep is not just about being a long-time supporter but it’s about having enthusiasm for more than just flagship titles. 💚Respect Reigns Your Every Interaction: These candidates embody our studio's core values and bring their own unique touch. They interact respectfully with everyone involved in the hiring process (from coordinators to executive leadership) and display excellent communication skills. Their respectfulness shines even in less-than-ideal situations, like rescheduling interviews due to unforeseen circumstances and proves that if hired they could work collaboratively with not only their team but the studio at large. 💚You’re Competent and Confident: My favorite candidates possess the necessary hard skills for a role and can articulate them with ease. They can explain their technical expertise in a way that is accessible to all. They are never patronizing but always confident in their experience and have ample examples at the ready to validate it. Their security and confidence in themselves is infectious and makes me proud to have put them forward to the hiring team. 💚You Know Your Value: Top candidates understand their market worth, and no, it’s not always the top of the posted salary band. They are fearless in communicating this value clearly and providing reasonable expectations for compensation. They are prepared to discuss their desired salary range or specific target number with me so I can better facilitate an honest and effective negotiation process. 💚You Are Authentic: The days of dodging weaknesses are over . My top candidates are refreshingly authentic, embracing their imperfections and areas for growth. They're not afraid to discuss challenging experiences or admit their blind spots. This vulnerability not only showcases self-awareness but also allows our team to consider how we can support their development and fosters a deeper connection with even the most accomplished talents. Which of these stood out to you the most? Which do you already have? What do you need to work on?

After conducting hundreds of interviews, I've found these three questions consistently separate exceptional candidates from merely qualified ones: 1- "Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it." This reveals self-awareness, humility, and growth mindset. The best candidates own their mistakes rather than deflecting blame, and articulate specific lessons that changed their approach. 2- "What's something you believe that most people disagree with?" This uncovers independent thinking and conviction. Strong candidates share thoughtful perspectives they've developed through experience, not just contrarian views for shock value. 3- "How would you solve [specific challenge we're facing]?" This shows practical problem-solving abilities and how candidates think on their feet. The most promising responses demonstrate curiosity through follow-up questions before jumping to solutions. Remember: focus on identifying strengths, not just skills. Skills can be taught, but natural strengths - resilience, critical thinking, emotional intelligence - these are the foundations of exceptional performers. The magic isn't just in the questions but in the listening - what candidates emphasise, what they omit, and how they structure their responses. #hiring #leadership #interviews