The 'Who' Methodology for A-Player Recruitment

Key Insight

The 'Who' recruiting process focuses exclusively on hiring 'A players,' defined as superstars who align with the job requirements and company culture. This process begins with a 'scorecard,' a detailed document created by the hiring manager that specifies the role's mission (business problem and solution), 3 to 8 measurable outcomes with target dates (ideally 5), and essential competencies (traits like organization, innovation, collaboration, persuasiveness, and coachability) required for success and cultural fit. This scorecard is cross-referenced with company roadmaps and other employee scorecards to ensure alignment and is shared with relevant team members.

Effective candidate sourcing prioritizes referrals from personal and professional networks as the most fruitful method. A systematic approach involves listing the ten most talented people one knows, committing to speak with at least one per week, and asking them 'Who are the three most talented people you know?' This continuously builds the candidate pipeline, with all interactions documented. Other sourcing strategies include hosting 'sourcing parties' with incentives and utilizing recruiters or researchers, though these require full access to scorecards and detailed feedback to be effective.

The selection process employs structured interviews designed to collect factual data on a candidate's past performance against the scorecard. It typically includes a brief 15-30 minute phone screening interview to quickly eliminate unsuitable candidates. Successful candidates proceed to a full-day on-site interview, featuring a 1-2 hour 'topgrading interview' that chronologically reviews each past job, focusing on accomplishments, low points, bosses, peers, subordinates, and reasons for leaving. This is followed by 'focused interviews' conducted by other team members, concentrating on specific outcomes and competencies. A final decision meeting rates candidates' 'skill-will' against the scorecard, with 'A' players having over 90% confidence in meeting all requirements. Crucially, reference interviews are conducted with chosen contacts (bosses, peers, subordinates, not just candidate-provided ones) to gain truthful insights into past performance.