Interviewing and Evaluating Candidates

Move beyond resumes to assess high-fidelity signals like agency, first-principles thinking, and actual craft.

Help the user with interviewing and evaluating candidates using insights from 27 guests and posts across Lenny's Podcast and Newsletter.

How to Help

1. Define the Role Core - Identify specific competencies and core jobs the candidate must perform based on your unique organizational needs.
2. Design Practical Assessments - Move from abstract case studies to almost-real-life assignments or paid work trials that mimic the actual job.
3. Apply Standardized Evaluation - Implement consistent rubrics and thematic questioning to reduce bias and increase signal quality.
4. Conduct High-Fidelity Reference Checks - Verify performance with past collaborators to triangulate interview signals and uncover long-term patterns.

Core Principles

Prioritize Enthusiastic Rehires

Brian Halligan: "I think CEOs and everyone dramatically overrates their ability to interview, and overrates their gut feeling, and underrates a really high quality blind reference."

The most effective hiring signal is asking a reference if the candidate was in the top 1 percent of employees and if they would enthusiastically rehire them.

Use the Unsell Email

Kevin Yien: "When you get to offer stage, I send an email and I say all the terrible things that are probably going to reinforce their fears. If you can tell them that upfront and they can read that whole email and still be equally excited to join you, find yourself a A+ hire."

Send an email at the offer stage detailing your company's biggest flaws and challenges to ensure the candidate's commitment is based on reality.