There is no single formula for a great hire. But there are consistent patterns behind the appointments that work — and consistent patterns behind the ones that do not. The difference usually shows up long before an interview takes place.

Start with the problem, not the role

Most hiring starts with a title and a list of responsibilities. Better hiring starts with a problem. What is not working, not being done, or not being done well enough? What does solving that problem require in a person — not in a job description? The answer to those questions often looks different from the answer you would have written if you had gone straight to the job spec.

Be honest about what you are asking someone to do

One of the most common reasons great hires leave within a year is that the role was misrepresented during the process — not necessarily through dishonesty, but through omission. The difficult parts of the role, the maturity of the team they are joining, the political complexity they will have to navigate: these things come out eventually. Candidates who knew them upfront and still joined are far more likely to stay.

Look for evidence, not impressiveness

The most common interview bias is confusing charisma with competence, or articulate answers with actual achievement. Strong interviewers ask for specific examples, probe for detail, and listen for the moments when the story does not quite add up. If a candidate cannot describe a specific situation with specificity, the achievement may be less theirs than the interview implies.

  • Ask for concrete examples, not hypothetical answers: 'Tell me about a time when...' not 'How would you...'
  • Probe for the candidate's specific contribution versus the team's
  • Ask about failures and what they learned — it tells you more than successes
  • Ask about the parts of previous roles they found frustrating — it surfaces motivation and fit

Assess for the environment, not just the CV

An exceptional performer in a large, well-resourced corporate may struggle in a 30-person scale-up where structure is still being built. A fiercely autonomous operator may underperform in a matrix organisation with heavy stakeholder management requirements. The best hire for a role is not the most impressive candidate in the abstract — it is the best candidate for this environment, at this stage.

Do proper reference checks

References are routinely underused. A 10-minute call where the referee says the candidate was great is not a reference check — it is a formality. A useful reference asks specific questions: what did this person do when the pressure was high? What would you change about how they operated? What type of environment brings out their best? Would you hire them again, and if there is any hesitation, what is it?

Invest in the first 90 days

The best hiring process does not end at offer acceptance. The first three months determine whether the hire will stay, perform, and become the asset you imagined. Clear goals for the first 30, 60, and 90 days, regular structured check-ins, and a genuine welcome into the team make the difference between a hire that works and one that technically started but never quite landed.

Your next best employee is probably not the one who interviews best. They are the one who does the work you most need, fits the environment you actually have, and is honest with you when things are not working.