At the bottom level of any business, it’s good to give people chances. For example, the old adage of a person working in the mailroom of a business as their first job is still true, even if mailrooms are obsolete now, the principle applies to other areas. Moreover, having a healthy opening for graduates can also be worth your time and investment.
Yet it’s also true that at the high level of your organizaton, you have to be extremely discerning when you hire. That’s because there may be immediate responsibility, and perhaps you need something new, like an entire vision shift. The personality at the top of a department can shape the character and identity of your brand no matter what you’re doing at the foremost level.
As such, putting together some rigorous tests to gauge candidate capability is wise. Luckily, you can do this with confidence. Let’s explore how:
Discussions About Visions For The Role
Interviews are often treated as a box-ticking exercise in some roles, but for senior positions they can be so much more. We’d suggest sitting down with a candidate and talking openly about where they see the role heading, because it offers insight into how they think, what they prioritize, and whether they understand the challenges ahead.
Such conversations should also reveal if someone is only chasing a title or if they’re invested in shaping a department with clear goals. Asking about past experiences helps, but giving them space to outline what they would change or develop if hired is where the most telling answers come from. Let them show who they really are, not how well they can charm in an interview.
Psychometric Testing
When responsibility is high and the cost of a poor hire is enormous, relying on instinct alone can be risky, despite how good a judge we all think we can be. For that reason, psychometric tests should give you an extra layer of clarity, measuring not only cognitive strengths but also personality traits that might otherwise remain hidden in conversation.
The results can show how a candidate approaches problem-solving, how they manage pressure, or how well they might work within a team dynamic. This doesn’t replace your own judgment, but it gives you some measurable data to compare with your impressions. With the right balance, you’ll be making a decision that feels both rational and informed.
A Thorough Approach To Vetting
Top-level hires affect every corner of a business, so it’s worth slowing the process down and being methodical. Interviews and testing are fine of course, but it can be useful to look at case studies of their past work, reach out to references with pointed questions, or perhaps put scenarios for them to respond to in real time as a test.
That should also help you gauge how they apply their knowledge under pressure and whether their vision lines up with the company’s direction, or even if they have fresh ideas.
Of course, combining all of these steps should give you a more rounded picture, and ultimately raises the chance of hiring someone who fits the role long-term. We hope you have success with them.
Business Outstanders brings you sharp insights on tech, business, entrepreneurship, law, crypto, and more. We uncover what’s next. Stay updated, sign up for our newsletter and be part of the future!
