In the early years, a business is built by versatile people who do whatever is needed. As it grows, the work becomes more specialized, and the questions change: who will run operations when volumes double, who will manage the managers, who brings the skills the business has never needed before? Hiring becomes one of the most important decisions leadership makes, and one of the least structured.

Start with the organization you will need

Sketch the organization the business needs in 12 to 24 months, based on the growth plan. Which roles are new? Which existing roles will change significantly? Where does too much depend on one person? This gives a hiring plan that anticipates needs instead of reacting when someone is overloaded or leaves.

Define roles by outcomes

For each role, write a short scorecard: the purpose of the role, the three to five outcomes expected in the first year, and the competencies and behaviors needed to deliver them. This is more useful than a list of tasks, and it gives candidates a clear picture of what success looks like.

Make interviews structured and fair

  • Ask every candidate the same core questions, based on the scorecard.
  • Use real scenarios from the business: how would you handle this situation?
  • Include a practical exercise where it makes sense.
  • Have each interviewer score independently before discussing.
  • Check references against the specific outcomes and behaviors you need.
Unstructured interviews reward candidates who interview well. Structured ones reward candidates who will do the job well.

Build balanced teams

Strong teams are rarely made of similar people. Look at each team as a whole: the mix of experience levels, technical and commercial skills, and working styles such as starters and finishers, big-picture thinkers and detail-oriented operators. Hire to fill the gaps, not to clone the people who are already there.

The first 90 days decide a lot

Good hires can still fail without a proper start. Plan the first weeks: who the new person meets, what they need to learn, the first goals they own, and regular check-ins with their manager. A deliberate onboarding helps people contribute sooner and makes them more likely to stay.