Candidate Recruitment Steps

I've interviewed 100s of people for 6-figure roles. (Here's what nobody tells you...) It's not the most qualified candidate who gets the job. It's the best prepared for the interview. How to prep like the top 1%: 1. Research the company like you already work there. ↳ Know their challenges, victories, and latest news. 2. Practice your answers out loud. ↳ What sounds good in your head may not when spoken. 3. Prepare 3 specific stories that showcase your skills. ↳ Focus on your adaptability and leadership. 4. Study the job description. Find the top 3 skills they want. ↳ Then craft examples proving you have them. 5. Do a mock interview with a trusted person. ↳ Someone who will give you honest feedback. 💡 And 7 questions to ask that make YOU stand out: 99% of candidates ask basic questions at the end. Don't waste this opportunity to impress! Ask these instead: ➟ What does success look like in the first 90 days? ➟ What are the biggest challenges facing the team that I could help solve? ➟ How would you describe the management style of the person I'd be reporting to? ➟ What distinguishes your top performers from everyone else? ➟ How does the company support professional development and growth? ➟ What made YOU decide to join this company, and what keeps you here? ➟ What do new employees find surprising after they start? The best candidates don't just answer questions. They create meaningful conversations. Remember: Interviews are a two-way street. You're evaluating them just as much as they are you. You spend 90,000 hours of your life at work. Choose a company and manager that support your growth. Your career will thank you. P.S. What's your best tip for nailing your interview? Share in the comments to help others prepare. ♻️ Valuable? Repost to share with your network. 🔖 Follow Justin Wright for more on career success. Want my 80 best cheat sheets? Get them here for free: BrillianceBrief.com   

"We're about to hire our first sales rep. Any pitfalls to avoid?" Got this text last night from a founder. Told him I could write a book on all the mistakes I've made/seen other make, but I'd try to give him the fast stuff. 1. 𝗗𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝗢𝗡 𝗚𝗢𝗔𝗟𝗦 Set clearly defined and attainable targets. Actually run the numbers. Can they realistically hit what you're expecting? Most founders set impossible goals then wonder why reps fail. 2. 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗥𝗔𝗠𝗣 𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗚 Whatever timeline you're thinking, double it. Then add a month. First reps take longer than you think. Always. Even if they have 'industry' experience. They have zero experience in your org. 3. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧 Take YOUR sales performance and cut it by 30%. That's what your first rep will do. Initially. You have founder magic. They don't. You know every objection by heart. They're learning. Stop expecting them to sell like you do. 4. 𝗗𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗫𝗧 Record all your demos. But here's what most miss: Do a second recording breaking down WHY you did what you did. "I asked this question because..." "I pivoted here when they said..." "I ignored that objection because..." The context is more valuable than the demo itself. 5. 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗚𝗟𝗟 What Good Looks Like. Document it all: - How leads should be worked - What discovery should accomplish - How demos should flow - Follow-up cadence and messaging If it's in your head, it doesn't exist. 6. 𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗪𝗢, 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗢𝗡𝗘 There's no perfect sales hiring process. Two reps create competition. Comparison. One rep? You'll never know if it's them or your process that's broken. 7. 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥 > 𝗦𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟 Don't get blinded by experience. Hire for character traits first, skill second. Coachability. Curiosity. Grit. Work ethic. You can teach product. You can't teach character. 8. 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗦𝗡'𝗧 𝗢𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 If you can't manage them, don't hire them. Real management means: - Weekly 1x1s - Call reviews - Coaching sessions - Deal prep - Skill development Not just "checking in" on Slack. 𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗨𝗦: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗔𝗠𝗣 𝗛𝗔𝗖𝗞 Customer interviews. By far the quickest way to get a rep up to speed. Have them interview 20-30 customers with these 6 golden questions: 1. Why did you buy? 2. What problem were you hoping to solve? 3. What were you afraid of before buying? 4. What's your favorite part of the product? 5. What's changed the most since having it? 6. How would you describe what we do to another [persona]? Record every single one. This gives them real voice of customer. Real objections. Real value props. In their customers' actual words. -------- Knock out these steps (even if you're far beyond the first sales hire) Your first sales hire sets the tone for everything that follows. Get it right, and you build a machine. Get it wrong, and you'll be selling solo for another year.

I’ve reviewed 1,000+ LinkedIn profiles over the past 5 years. Here are 8 tips to turn your LinkedIn profile into a job-generating machine: 1. Upgrade Your Profile Picture Like it or not, your profile picture is your first impression. Make it a good one: - Upload your PP to Photofeeler .com - Analyze the feedback - Reshoot/edit your picture based on the data Repeat until your scores are good! 2. Leverage Keywords The right keywords help you show up in more searches. Here's how to find them: - Find 5+ job descriptions for target roles - Paste them all into ResyMatch.io's JD scanner - Save the top 15 skills Weave them into the rest of your profile! 3. Write A Killer Headline I like to use this headline formula: [Keywords] | [Skills] | [Results-Focused Value Proposition] Example for a data scientist: Data Scientist | Python, R, Tableau | I Help Hospitals Use Big Data To Reduce Readmission Rates By 37% 4. Write A Killer About A great About section has 3 parts: - A short paragraph that speaks to your job, years of experience, and value prop. - Five "case study" bullets that showcase specific results. - Your email w/ a CTA for people to connect with you. Include keywords! 5. Leverage Your Featured Section It’s hard to convey your value on a resume or in an About section. This is your chance to show people what you’ve done on your terms. Include things like: - Case studies of your work - Content you’ve created - Posts you’ve written 6. Skills Matter LinkedIn uses profile Skills sections to rank candidates. Here’s how to boost your rank: - Add every keyword from your ResyMatch scan - Choose the top 5 most relevant skills - Ask colleagues, friends, family, & classmates for endorsements (aim for 5) 7. Engage & Support Others Comments can generate tons of profile views! Here’s how: - Find 10+ thought leaders in your target space - Bookmark their post feed - Check their feeds daily - Leave a supportive, valuable comment on each new post Repeat for a minimum of 30 days 8. Create Content! Content is networking at scale. One post can reach more people than your entire connection base. It also allows you to showcase value in your own words, on your own terms. It can feel scary, but only 1% of people do it—and the returns are huge.

The million-dollar hiring secret: Culture over skills. Hiring for "culture" isn't just trendy - it really does transform a team. When you get the dynamics right, productivity, retention, and morale all skyrocket. But how do you find that perfect person? The one who doesn’t just tick the boxes, but elevates the whole team? I’ve been there. Early on, I focused on those who had the right experience. I thought hiring someone who could hit the ground running was the key to success. But I quickly learned that when someone’s values clash with your company culture, it affects everyone. That experience taught me this: cultural fit matters just as much as skills. Now, I’m fortunate to work with a high-performing team, built by hiring for culture first and skills second. By focusing on this, we've created not just a high-performing team, but a resilient one. When your team aligns with company values, they stay longer, collaborate better, and contribute more meaningfully to the team’s success. Of course, leadership also plays a big role in why people stay or leave - but that’s a post for another day! Here are the top questions I ask to assess culture fit: 1️⃣ Describe a work environment you loved. What made it special? ↳ This reveals their values and what they need to grow. 2️⃣ Tell me about a time you disagreed with a company decision. How did you handle it? ↳ Their answer shows how they approach conflict and express concerns. 3️⃣ What’s the most creative idea you’ve implemented in a previous role? ↳ This highlights their problem-solving skills and initiative. 4️⃣ How do you prefer to receive feedback, and how often? ↳ This uncovers their communication style and openness to growth. 5️⃣ Can you share an example of a mistake you made at work and how you handled it? ↳ This demonstrates accountability and adaptability. And my favourite, inspired by Simon Sinek: 6️⃣ "I hate surprises. Can you tell me something that might go wrong now so I won’t be surprised later?" ↳ This question tests honesty, foresight, and self-awareness, while starting an open dialogue about challenges. When you go beyond the traditional surface-level questions, you’ll discover more than skills. This is how you can uncover how well a candidate aligns with your team’s values and dynamics. 👉 What questions do you use to identify a good culture fit? ♻️ Share this post to help your network build stronger teams. 🔔 Follow me, Jen Blandos, for actionable daily insights on business, entrepreneurship, and workplace well-being.

My most valuable hire last year didn’t fit our company culture, and that’s exactly why we needed them. Here’s why: We often talk about "culture fit" in hiring. I used to think it meant finding people who perfectly matched our team's current dynamic. You know, the comfortable choice. But I was wrong. The real magic happens when you hire for "culture add" instead. Think about it - if everyone on your team thinks the same way, who's going to challenge your assumptions? Who's going to bring those fresh perspectives that make clients go "wow"? Some of our best innovations came from team members who didn't fit the traditional mold. Here's what I've learned about hiring for culture add: 1. Look for the gaps, not the mirrors. What perspectives are missing on your team? 2. When candidates make you slightly uncomfortable with their different viewpoints - that's often a good sign! It means they'll push your thinking. 3. "Different" doesn't mean "difficult." Some of our most collaborative team members are those who think differently from the rest of us. The best teams I've built don't look alike, think alike, or act alike. Instead, they evolve together, challenge each other, and create something greater than the sum of their parts. Remember: Diversity isn't just about checking boxes. It's about building a team that can see problems from every angle, find solutions others miss, and drive real innovation. What's your take on this? Have you ever hired someone who didn't "fit" the traditional mold but ended up transforming your team for the better? #hiring #leadership #teambuilding #diversity

Your best people are slipping through your fingers. And you probably don't even know why. If you don't want to lose brilliant team members, pay attention. They aren't leaving you for more money or a better opportunity. They are leaving because you might be suffocating them. Here's the uncomfortable truth about keeping top talent: 1. Give them agency or watch them leave. Micromanagers, this one's for you. Every time you hover, every time you dictate the 'how', you're creating dependent robots instead of empowered humans. The best people don't want to check their brains at the door. They want to know their decisions matter. 2. Tie their wins to their wallets. Not always cash—sometimes it's time off, public recognition, or just a genuine "that was brilliant." Recognize your top performers or you train them to become indifferent. 3. Tell them what, never how. "I need this to convert at 20%" beats "Use this font, this color, this layout" every single time. The moment you rob them of their process, you rob them of their pride. 4. Growth or goodbye. Top talent has a ceiling allergy. Small team → bigger team → client face time → financial decisions. Show them the ladder or they'll find another building. 5. Treat them like family (the functional kind). Look out for them. Actually care. Not that "we're a family" corporate BS, but genuine "how can I help you win?" energy. Bonus: In interviews, ask: "What would make you stay somewhere for 5 years?" Take notes. And actually follow through. Already missed that chance? Sit down with your best people TODAY. "What gets you excited about coming to work? What would make you never want to leave?" 15 minutes. Could save you months of recruiting. Who's the best person you ever lost? What would you do differently now? Small Business Builders #leadership #talentretention #teambuilding

I fired a client last week. (They didn't respond to me for 48 hours.) It cost them their dream hire… When I start any new search engagement, I make one thing crystal clear: I need a response within 48 hours on candidate submissions. This isn't me being demanding. It's about protecting everyone involved in the process. Last week, I had the perfect Controller interview with a fast-growing tech company. Everything went brilliantly. The candidate was excited, engaged, and ready to move forward. But then... silence from the client. 24 hours passed. Then 48. My candidate was anxiously waiting for feedback. (They had other interviews lined up and needed to make decisions.) And by the time the client finally responded three days later… The candidate had already accepted another offer. Quick feedback isn't optional in today's market. Top candidates are interviewing at multiple places simultaneously. > They're making decisions faster than ever. > They interpret slow responses as a lack of interest. > They question a company's decision-making culture when processes drag. Plus, I'm working on contingency. I'm investing my time and resources with no guarantee of payment until a hire is made. The partnership needs to be respected from both sides. Now, the search is now back to square one, and the client is frustrated. They’ve lost their top candidate and their recruiter… but they created this situation. In recruiting, responsiveness isn't just professional courtesy; it's a competitive advantage. The best companies understand this. The rest learn it the hard way.

What if recruiting efficiency and effectiveness came down to one principle? After decades in this industry, I believe it might: exert predictive control over as many critical matching variables as possible, as early as possible. Here are six critical candidate-to-job variables that determine every successful recruiting match: 🔸 Skills - Can they do the job? 🔸 Opportunity - Is this the right next career step for them? 🔸 Logistics - Do location/schedule/travel work? 🔸 Availability - Are they actually recruitable right now? 🔸 Remuneration - Can you reach alignment on comp? 🔸 Closability - Will they actually accept an offer? These variables work like a slot machine. Miss ANY single one of them - even with the other five perfectly aligned - and you've got nothing. Here's what's interesting about predictive control: ▪️ Skills? Technology helps a lot here. ▪️ Logistics? Partially searchable on some platforms. ▪️ Availability? Some signals exist - resume updates, "Open to Work." ▪️ Remuneration? Sometimes captured, often inferred. ▪️ Opportunity? Resumes show what people did, not what they want. ▪️ Closability? May be impossible to predict before a conversation. The recruiters who consistently deliver results aren't necessarily better at "closing" at the end. They're better at exerting predictive control from the beginning and throughout the process - ensuring alignment across all six variables before they ever get to an offer. Check out my full article for a deep exploration into these variables, including a direct call to HR tech providers: build solutions that help recruiters predict across ALL six variables, not just skills. And please let me know - did I miss any critical variables? What would you add or change?

The Candidate Who Didn't Want the Job (But Got It Anyway) I interviewed a chap who told me outright he wasn't interested in the role I called him about. Not always, but it happened? So, I kept listening. "I'm actually quite happy where I am," he said. "But I'm curious what you're offering." Rather than ending the call, I asked why he was content in his current position. He spoke for ten minutes about his projects, his team, and how his manager gave him space to grow. You know what happened next? I realised he was perfect for my client—not despite his reluctance, but because of it. Here's the thing: candidates who aren't desperately hunting for jobs often make the best hires. They're confident in their abilities, clear about what they want, and honest about their expectations. I called my client and said, "I've found someone who doesn't want your job." "Then why are you calling me?" they asked. "Because you need to convince him to take it." Three interviews later, they made an offer that addressed everything this candidate valued about his current role—and added meaningful improvements. He accepted last week. The moral? Sometimes the best candidates aren't actively looking. And sometimes the best recruiters don't just fill positions—they create matches that genuinely work for both sides. For hiring managers: Don't dismiss the hesitant candidate. Their questions reveal what they truly value. For professionals: Being content in your current role gives you negotiating power. Use it. What's your experience? Have you ever been hired for a job you initially didn't want? #CareerAdvice #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition

I love hiring people who have been made redundant, especially from startups. Startup leaders are constantly telling me, "We're looking for people who are comfortable with ambiguity, who can handle a pivot and who can tolerate some risk." When I meet candidates who have been made redundant from startups it usually means, they took a big swing. They bet on that company and went all in. They likely gave it their all and the success (or challenges) of that company are not a result of their individual performance or impact. But, here are things I look for in those candidates: 🙂 Attitude. I met with someone yesterday who had the most positive attitude about her redundancy. Of course it sucks. It hadn't been long after she was hired and was likely a surprise. But she focused on the amazing things she learned, the exposure she had, and how she wanted to use that in her story for what is next. 🫵 No finger pointing. There are ways to honestly talk about what happened in a company without being mean or finger pointing at people. Candidates who are still bitter or angry end up making it personal and pointing fingers. Let the emotion wear off (or save that for your friends), or you risk coming across with a lack of professional maturity. 🌳 Learner's mindset. The candidate yesterday spoke about what she learned in the role. The best candidates use every bit of their job (no matter how long they were in the role) to evaluate exactly what they want next and also leverage those experiences into what's next. But the biggest challenge and the real differentiator comes down to their story. 📚 Think about how you tell the story of this experience (however short) -- what you learned, the impact you had and how you grew. 📚 Share the attributes that show your resilience -- your adaptability, comfort with ambiguity and how you were a team player. 📚 Talk about how that sets you up brilliantly for what is next (which is XYZ...). And if you're a startup hiring, don't be scared by short tenure on a CV. Dig into the stories of these folks. They will often amaze you. #hiring #startups #redundancy ----------- I'm Tova, the founder of Series Build , helping Australian startups hire exceptional talent and bring more diversity into their teams.