What it tests

Whether the candidate applies a genuinely high talent bar, can identify 'stunning colleagues' versus merely competent ones, and advocates for quality over speed of hire.

Format

1Interviewer presents 3 fictional candidate profiles (detailed summaries) for a role similar to what the recruiter would own
2Candidate evaluates each profile: who they'd advance, who they'd pass on, and why
3Discussion shifts to how they'd handle pressure from a hiring manager to move faster or lower the bar
4Final 15 minutes: candidate describes the best hire they've ever made and the worst mistake — and what each taught them about the talent bar

What to look for

Precision in evaluation: do they give specific, differentiated feedback on each profile rather than vague impressions?
Willingness to hold the bar under pressure from a hiring manager or exec
Self-awareness about past mis-hires: candidates who have never made a bad hire have not yet reflected on their judgment
Understanding of the difference between potential and current performance, and when each matters

Adaptation guide

Build profiles from anonymized real candidates your team has evaluated — ones with clear decision points. Strong candidates will push back on the profiles' ambiguity and ask clarifying questions rather than making clean-cut decisions with incomplete data. That instinct is the signal.

Full description

Format:

Interviewer presents 3 fictional candidate profiles (detailed summaries) for a role similar to what the recruiter would own
Candidate evaluates each profile: who they'd advance, who they'd pass on, and why
Discussion shifts to how they'd handle pressure from a hiring manager to move faster or lower the bar
Final 15 minutes: candidate describes the best hire they've ever made and the worst mistake — and what each taught them about the talent bar

Time: 60 minutes

What to look for:

Precision in evaluation: do they give specific, differentiated feedback on each profile rather than vague impressions?
Willingness to hold the bar under pressure from a hiring manager or exec
Self-awareness about past mis-hires: candidates who have never made a bad hire have not yet reflected on their judgment
Understanding of the difference between potential and current performance, and when each matters

Adaptation: Build profiles from anonymized real candidates your team has evaluated — ones with clear decision points. Strong candidates will push back on the profiles' ambiguity and ask clarifying questions rather than making clean-cut decisions with incomplete data. That instinct is the signal.