Part 17 of 20 in How to Hire A Players: A Guide for Indian Founders← Part 16Part 18 →
This chapter provides Indian founders with practical tools for hiring top talent, including templates and interview strategies. It helps streamline the recruitment process and improve decision-making.
- Scorecard template includes role title, mission, outcomes, and competencies.
- Screening call card assesses goals, strengths, weaknesses, and boss ratings.
- Who interview timeline covers role expectations, achievements, and reasons for leaving.
- Reference card focuses on strengths, improvement areas, and rehire potential.
- Five-F close plan outlines fit, family, freedom, fortune, and follow-up.
Scorecard template
Role title and manager. Date. Mission in eight lines. Outcomes ranked, each with a metric and a date. Competencies with a one-line picture of A, B and C. Sign-off from the founder and the person the hire will work with daily.
Screening call card
Goals. Strengths with examples. Weaknesses that are actually weaknesses. Boss ratings and the reason they are not tens. A box that says advance, hold, or stop. Fill it before you hang up.
Who interview timeline
One page per role. Hired to do. Proudest result, with the three P’s. Low points. Boss, peers, team quality, hiring and firing. Reason for leaving. Pull versus push. Notes on energy when they talk about customers versus when they talk about status.
Reference card
Context. Strengths. Improvement areas. Rating and why not ten. Rehire in this seat? Probe on the weakness already admitted. Exact phrases, not your summary.
Five-F close plan
What Fit means in one paragraph. Which family members vote, and what each fears. What Freedom you are actually giving. Fortune on one page in rupees. Which A Players they will meet, and when you will keep selling after they say yes.
|
Signal in the Who interview |
Often means |
What you should do |
|---|---|---|
|
Cannot name outcomes, only activities |
Busy, not effective |
Stop, or probe one more job |
|
Every exit is the boss’s fault |
Low ownership |
Ask references about conflict |
|
Has never hired or fired |
Fine for an IC seat; risk for a manager seat |
Do not pretend they are a builder of teams |
|
Speaks in we, never I, on wins |
Could be modest or could be a passenger |
Ask what they personally did on Tuesdays |
|
Speaks in I, never we, on wins |
Could be a star or a credit thief |
Ask the team they left behind |
|
Wants to join in ten days from a senior seat |
Possible problem at current firm |
More references, not less |
Figure 2. Pattern recognition during the Who interview. One signal is a clue. Two are a theme.
Frequently asked questions
What is a scorecard template in hiring?
A scorecard template includes role title, mission, ranked outcomes with metrics, competencies, and sign-off by key stakeholders.
How should a screening call card be structured?
A screening call card should cover goals, strengths with examples, real weaknesses, boss ratings, and a decision box to advance, hold, or stop.
What is the purpose of the Who interview timeline?
The Who interview timeline documents role expectations, proudest achievements, low points, and reasons for leaving, focusing on energy and motivations.
What should be included in a reference card?
A reference card should include context, strengths, improvement areas, ratings, and specific phrases, with a focus on rehire potential and admitted weaknesses.