Hiring the right candidate goes far beyond scanning resumes. For entrepreneurs and hiring leads, filtering great hires often comes down to specific behavior patterns, real world testing, and alignment with the role’s demands. These leaders share the filters, green flags, and disqualifiers they rely on to make strong, sustainable hiring decisions.
Hiring for Character, Not Just Credentials
Adam Bushell, owner of AB Electrical & Communications, emphasizes character and client interaction over technical qualifications. In the trades, respect and clarity matter just as much as skill. He uses trial days and situational questions to assess composure and communication under pressure.
“Character cannot be rewired whilst technical skills can be honed.”
Yad Senapathy, founder and CEO of PMTI, uses complex project scenarios to assess how candidates think through risks, timelines, and stakeholder coordination. He views clear communication, accountability, and detail orientation as strong green flags—while deflection and ambiguity are immediate concerns.
“A person who brings measurable material even if small, will perform with accuracy when pressure is applied.”
Data-Driven Insights and Pattern Recognition
Lacey Kaelani, founder of Metaintro, draws on data from over 600 million job postings. According to platform trends, top-performing companies hire for skill transfer, not just direct experience, and use “failure recovery” questions to assess adaptability. She notes that complex interview processes and resume perfection bias often filter out top talent unnecessarily.
“The most competitive companies give real business challenges in interviews not for full solutions, but to assess thinking.”
Pankaj Khurana, VP of technology at GetRocket, looks for candidates who demonstrate outcomes and ownership. Curiosity, thoughtful questions, and clarity around individual roles in projects stand out. Red flags include vague language, buzzword stuffing, and inability to explain personal contributions.
“Clarity and intent consistently show me who’s likely to succeed—not polish or perfection.”
Real-World Tests and Role Relevance
Jeff Lichtenstein, owner of Echo Fine Properties, tailors his filters by role. Assertiveness is a green flag for sales, but less so for designers or developers. He uses paid projects late in the process to validate real capabilities, noting that portfolios don’t always reflect actual skills.
“Some are pretenders and just can’t do what they say. Testing reveals who can actually deliver.”
Across industries, the most effective hiring filters are grounded in clarity, context, and behavioral depth. Whether through trial days, project simulations, or failure based questions, these leaders agree: mindset, communication, and follow-through are stronger predictors of success than credentials alone.
