The problem with most hiring processes is anyone can charm their way through a single conversation — or tank it with a bad take. When you’re relying on just one or two touchpoints, hiring starts to feel like a coin flip.
At The Metiss Group, we believe hiring shouldn’t be a gamble. That’s why we coach our clients to follow a structured, step-by-step process that doesn’t just focus on how someone performs in an interview but how they move through the entire journey.
In this article, we’re walking you through a hiring process checklist — the same one we use with our clients and ourselves — to help you build a hiring experience that consistently attracts and selects the right people.
- Get Stakeholder Input
- Job Posting
- Reach Out to Network
- Initial Phone Screen
- Core Values Exercise
- In-Person Interview
- Multi-Science Assessments
- Performance Checks
- Final Interview
- Offer & Keep Candidate Warm
Step 1: Get Stakeholder Input Before Defining the Job
Before you touch a job board, start here. Bring together the people who actually live with the consequences of this hire. That means managers, team members, and people who will report to the person in this role. This will allow you to write the blueprint for what success in this job really looks like.
When stakeholders help define the kind of person who thrives in the role, they're far more likely to stay engaged throughout the process. They’ll be more willing to participate in onboarding, invest time in training, and offer ongoing support.
Without their input upfront, enthusiasm drops fast. And instead of real buy-in, you’re left with passive involvement and half-hearted calendar invites no one’s excited to attend.
Step 2: Write a Job Posting That Attracts the Right People
Now that you’ve got your blueprint, use it in the job posting. Most job postings read like a humblebrag about the company, followed by a long bullet list ending with “other duties as assigned.”
Instead of flexing how amazing your organization is (your website already does that), paint a picture of the person you want; not just their skills, but how they show up.
For example, you can say “Microsoft Office proficiency” and “45 words per minute typing” all day long. But the right receptionist is the one who makes your office feel like home. She answers the phone with a voice that smiles. She’s the face and heartbeat of your team. Put that in your job posting.
The wrong person will bow out. The right one will feel seen.
Step 3: Use Your Network to Find Candidates Who Fit
Once you’ve got that clear picture, send it to your network. When you describe the person, your connections will actually be able to think of someone. Otherwise, they might forward you their connection who once did something similar — even if they’re a complete mismatch when it comes to culture.
We coach our clients to send a “center of influence” email: tell your contacts what kind of person you’re hoping to meet and ask if anyone comes to mind.
The real power here isn’t just in the email itself but in the network behind it. When you’ve built strong relationships and nurtured your circle, you’re far more likely to get a warm introduction to someone great. And when a superstar hears about your opportunity from someone they already trust, you’re not just another job posting — they’re already halfway curious.
Step 4: Phone Screens Should Filter for Hard Skills First
The next step is to schedule a Zoom call with the candidates whose resumes stand out to you. Keep it simple, about 20–30 minutes. This is where you confirm they’ve got the base-level hard skills.
Record this call to save everyone time. Then before anyone else interviews the candidate, have them watch the recording. That way, no one needs to waste time rehashing the resume in every round. Instead, future interviews can focus on deeper conversations, because the basics are already covered.
Step 5: Use a Core Values Exercise to Screen for Culture Fit
For candidates who crush the phone screen, the next step is the Core Values Email Exercise. We ask the candidates to reflect on three of our core values and describe how they’ve lived them out at work. Specific examples only.
We end the assignment with, “When can we expect this back from you?” If they give generic answers or miss their own deadline to send it back, that’s a red flag.
This step tells you two things: how they communicate (tone, clarity, authenticity), and how they engage with your culture. It also shows you how they handle assignments mid-process: Are they prompt? Can they follow directions? Can they write like a human?
Step 6: Run an In-Person Interview To Dig Into Soft Skills
By now, the candidates have shown their hard skills, shared their values, and shown they can follow through. Time to meet face to face.
The in-person interview can last 60-90 minutes. Everyone on your team should know their role — what questions they’re asking and what characteristics to spot.
This is when you dig into the soft skills: collaboration, problem-solving, ownership, emotional intelligence. You’re not rehashing resumes. You’re looking for how they think. How they navigate uncomfortable questions. How they show up under pressure.
Step 7: Use Multi-Science Assessments for a Full Picture
After the in-person interviews, the candidates who really stood out move on to the assessment round.
We don’t recommend you use a single-science behavioral tool like DISC or Predictive Index, though. Those can be helpful, sure — but people are multi-dimensional, and a single-science assessment can’t capture this.
In other words, I’ve never seen two people lock horns in the workplace just because one’s an introvert and the other’s not. It’s almost always about something deeper, such as what motivates them in the workplace.
When it comes to candidate assessments, there’s no such thing as a perfect score. Instead, you’re trying to understand the whole person. We use assessments to determine what the imperfections are to see if they’re dealbreakers or if they’re reasonable workarounds.
Then you can ask, have they developed coping mechanisms? Have they surrounded themselves with others who compensate for their minor weaknesses? Or are they clueless and unwilling to work through these friction points?
Optional: Assign a Real-World Task That Mimics the Job
This phase is also a great time to assign a real work product. It could be a short presentation, a writing sample, or something tailored to the actual role. If the job involves client interactions, ask them to walk you through a topic they’re passionate about. If it’s a technical or creative role, give them a realistic task and see how they approach it.
What you’re looking for isn’t perfection (a lot of hard skills can be taught in onboarding), but instead it’s about approach, clarity, and seeing how the candidate came to their conclusions.
Step 8: Performance Checks That Go Beyond the Reference Call
Instead of reference checks, we perform what we call performance checks. You want to do more than confirm what the candidate said on the resume — you want to uncover how this person really performs in the workplace.
Timing matters here. Don’t wait until the whole team is obsessed with the candidate. By then, you’ll justify any red flags. Check references before you’re sold.
Don’t just ask softball questions. Frame it like this: “We think they’re a strong fit, but we know no one is perfect. What can we do to set them up for success?” This opens the door for honest feedback.
Step 9: Final Interviews to Clear Up Dealbreakers
Finally, bring your top candidates back for a final in-person interview. Think of this as your last round of detective work. At this point, you're not re-evaluating the entire package; you’re zooming in on any lingering concerns that need to be cleared up before making the call.
This isn’t about being picky for the sake of it. It’s about being confident this is someone you’re ready to coach, support, and grow with long term.
Extra step: The Spousal Dinner Test for Executive Hires
If it’s an executive role, especially one that involves relocation, this is also the time to consider a spousal dinner. It might feel like an extra step, but it can be incredibly revealing.
We once worked with a client hiring an executive from out of state. The client invited the candidate and his wife to a formal dinner at a private club where the dress code was business casual at a minimum. Slacks, collared shirts, that kind of place. The candidate’s wife showed up in cutoff jean shorts and a tank top. We were shocked they even let them in.
Despite a few raised eyebrows, the client moved forward and made the hire. The candidate accepted, but his wife stayed behind to “wrap things up.” The new hire flew back and forth for nearly a year before finally resigning — because she never planned to move.
That one dinner could’ve saved everyone a lot of time, money, and energy. The way someone interacts with their spouse, and even how they treat the server at dinner, can tell you volumes about how they lead, how they handle pressure, and what kind of support system they bring with them. For senior leadership roles, it’s insight you won’t get in an office chair.
Step 10: Make the Offer And Keep the Candidate Engaged
You made the offer. They accepted. Done, right? Nope. The two weeks after notice are everything. If they’re a rockstar, their current employer is panicking. And that makes them vulnerable to counteroffers or second thoughts. This is the time to over-communicate. Here are some ideas:
- Offer to knock out paperwork early.
- Invite them to a casual team happy hour.
- Mail them branded swag or business cards.
Remind them why they chose you. Because until they show up on Day One, it’s still not a done deal.
The Bottom Line About Tour Hiring Process
As you can see, the hiring process isn’t meant to be fast—it’s meant to be thorough. If you’re only relying on one or two interactions, it’s way too easy to get dazzled by someone who’s great at interviewing but not so great at the job.
At The Metiss Group, we help companies take the guesswork out of hiring with our service, The Hiring Process Coach™. We’ll walk you through how to ask the right questions, catch red flags early, and set up every step to spot the people who are built to thrive in your culture.
Now that you’ve got a handle on what to include in your hiring process, the next step is to grasp how long it takes to hire a good employee.
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