Hiring Playbook

Hiring Playbook

Job descriptions, interview scorecards, take-home assignments, and evaluation rubrics.

Purpose

Hiring is the highest-leverage activity a founder does. A bad hire costs 3-6 months of salary plus opportunity cost. This skill structures the hiring process to reduce bad hires.

Workflow

Step 1: Define the Role

• Title and level
• Core responsibilities (3-5, not a laundry list)
• Must-have vs. nice-to-have skills
• Reporting structure
• Compensation range
• Remote/hybrid/onsite

Step 2: Write the Job Description

• Hook: Why this role matters (not company history)
• What you'll do: Specifics, not vague responsibilities
• What you bring: Skills and experience (separate must-haves from nice-to-haves)
• What we offer: Compensation, benefits, culture (be specific)
• How to apply: Clear instructions, include a filter question

Step 3: Interview Scorecard

For each competency, define:

• What you're assessing
• Questions to ask
• What a great answer looks like
• Scoring rubric (1-5)

Step 4: Take-Home Assignment (if applicable)

• Should take under 2 hours
• Mirror real work they'd do in the role
• Clear evaluation criteria
• Respect their time — pay for it if possible

Step 5: Evaluation Framework

• Structured debrief template
• Hire/No-hire decision framework
• Reference check questions

Output Format

## Hiring Playbook: [Role Title]

### Job Description
[Complete JD]

### Interview Scorecard
| Competency | Question | Great Answer | Score (1-5) |
|-----------|----------|-------------|-------------|

### Take-Home Assignment
[Brief and rubric]

### Reference Check Questions
[5 questions]

Constraints

• Job descriptions should be inclusive — avoid gendered language and unnecessary requirements
• Don't use trick questions in interviews
• Take-home assignments must be reasonable in scope
• Evaluation criteria must be defined before interviewing, not after