⭐ Performance-based Hiring  ·  Moneyball for HR

Quality of Hire
Talent Scorecard

Rate candidates on 13 evidence-based factors to predict on-the-job performance — not just interview performance.

The Hiring Formula:   (Ability × Fit)Motivation = Results
Live Score
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0 of 13 rated
⚠ No 2s! Review this candidate
The PbH Method

Performance-based Hiring

The best predictor of future performance is past performance in comparable situations. Ask candidates for specific accomplishments — not hypotheticals.

  • Ask for Examples: "Tell me your best accomplishment that demonstrates [competency]."
  • Probe for Details: Uncover the candidate's actual role vs. the team's role.
  • Look for Trends: Growth and achievement patterns over time.
Work Type Framework

Match Work Type to Role

Performance improves when a candidate's natural work type matches the role's demands. Assess alignment as you interview.

🧠 ThinkerStrategists, idea generators, creative roles
🔨 BuilderEntrepreneurs, project leads, creates from chaos
📈 ImproverOptimizes and scales what's already working
⚙️ ProducerExecutes repeatable processes with quality

Candidate Information

1

Work History Review

Career trajectory & pattern of achievement
Work History Review
Career progression, logical transitions, achiever pattern
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Walk me through your career progression, starting with your most recent position. For each role, tell me your responsibilities, key accomplishments, and reasons for moving on."
"What would you say is the common thread or pattern in the roles you've chosen?"
Probing Questions
"What specific factors led you to make each career transition?"
Follow up: "Did you achieve what you hoped for in that move?"
"In which roles did you grow the most professionally? What enabled that growth?"
"Looking back, are there any career decisions you would make differently? Why?"
Evidence to look for: Logical progression, increasing responsibilities, strategic career moves, ability to articulate decisions, pattern of being recruited or promoted, consistency in career narrative.
2

Basic Competencies

Foundational skills & experience
Technical Skills
Depth and practical application of job-relevant technical knowledge
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Describe a complex technical challenge you solved that required deep expertise. Walk me through your approach."
"What technical accomplishment are you most proud of? What specific skills did it require?"
Probing Questions
"What technical skills have you developed most over the past 2–3 years? How did you develop them?"
"Describe a situation where you had to quickly learn a new technology to complete a project."
"In what technical areas do you consider yourself an expert? When have others sought your expertise?"
Evidence to look for: Specific technical examples, depth of knowledge, ability to explain complex concepts, continuous learning, recognition from peers, practical application of skills.
Experience
Relevant background and transferable knowledge to role requirements
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Tell me about your experience with [specific requirement]. What was your most significant accomplishment in this area?"
"How does your background prepare you for the specific challenges of this role?"
Probing Questions
"What aspects of this role would be new to you? How would you approach the learning curve?"
"Describe a time you successfully transferred your experience from one industry or role to another."
Evidence to look for: Direct relevance to role requirements, transferable skills, depth vs. breadth, ability to adapt to new contexts, specific examples of similar work.
Achiever Pattern & Growth Trend
Evidence of top-performer trajectory relative to peers
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"How does your performance compare to your peers? Can you give me a specific example?"
"Tell me about your biggest career accomplishment relative to your peers."
Probing Questions
"What recognition or awards have you received for your performance?"
Follow up: "How often do you receive such recognition?"
"How quickly were you promoted compared to others who started at the same level?"
Evidence to look for: Consistent promotion pace, exceed goals by 20%+, President's Club / awards, pattern of being recruited away, fast-track progression vs. peers.
3

Essential Core Competencies

Ability dimension of the hiring formula
Talent & Overall Technical Ability
Innovation, problem-solving horsepower, and technical leadership
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Walk me through the most technically challenging project you've led. What made it complex and how did you approach it?"
"When have you had to innovate or create a solution that didn't exist before?"
Probing Questions
"How do you stay current with trends and best practices in your field?"
"Tell me about a time you mentored others on technical matters. What was the outcome?"
"Describe a situation where your technical expertise directly contributed to business success."
Evidence to look for: Depth of understanding, ability to innovate, teaching others, solving complex problems, staying current, business impact of technical decisions.
Management & Organizational Ability
Planning, delegation, and getting results through others
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Tell me about the most complex project or team you've managed. How did you organize, prioritize, and execute?"
"Describe a time you had to get results through people who didn't report to you. How did you handle it?"
Probing Questions
"How do you typically plan and organize large, multi-stakeholder initiatives?"
"Tell me about a time your project ran behind. What did you do?"
Evidence to look for: Planning systems, delegation skills, ability to manage up and across, track record delivering on time, organizational efficiency.
Soft Skills
Communication, presentation, leadership presence, and influence
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Tell me about a time you had to influence a senior leader or executive without formal authority. What was your approach?"
"Describe a complex idea you had to present to non-technical stakeholders. How did you tailor your communication?"
Probing Questions
"How do you adapt your communication style for different audiences?"
"Tell me about a difficult conversation you had to lead. How did you handle it?"
Evidence to look for: Clarity of communication in the interview itself, storytelling ability, executive presence, ability to listen and adapt, evidence of influencing outcomes through communication.
Team Skills (EQ) & Development
Emotional intelligence, collaboration, and developing others
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Tell me about a time you had to navigate conflict within your team. What was your approach and what was the outcome?"
"Describe someone you mentored or developed. What was your approach and what results did they achieve?"
Probing Questions
"How do you identify and address team members' development needs?"
"Tell me about a team member who was struggling. What did you do?"
Evidence to look for: Self-awareness, empathy in examples, concrete development stories, ability to build team cohesion, track record of promoting or growing people under their leadership.
Thinking & Job-related Problem-solving
Analytical depth, creative solutions, and strategic thinking
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Tell me about the most complex problem you've solved at work. Walk me through your thinking process."
"A major challenge we're facing is [describe actual challenge]. How would you approach solving this?"
Probing Questions
"How do you typically break down complex problems into manageable parts?"
"Tell me about a time your first solution didn't work. How did you pivot?"
"What's the most creative or innovative solution you've developed?"
Evidence to look for: Structured thinking approach, root cause analysis, creative solutions, data-driven decisions, considering multiple perspectives, learning from failure.
4

Situational Fit Factors

Fit dimension of the hiring formula
1.5× Weight
Job Fit: Major Accomplishments to Critical KPOs
How directly past achievements match this role's performance requirements
Work Type Match
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Tell me about the one accomplishment in your career that most directly relates to what we need to accomplish in this role in the first year."
"For each of the key performance objectives [KPOs] for this role, can you walk me through a comparable accomplishment?"
Probing Questions
"What's the Work Type of this role — Thinker, Builder, Improver, or Producer? How does that match with your natural strengths?"
"Where exactly does this role's scope match your most recent role? Where will you need to stretch?"
Evidence to look for: Direct KPO-to-accomplishment alignment, Work Type match, comparable scope and scale, ability to articulate why this role is the right next move, specific examples not generic claims.
Managerial Fit
Alignment between candidate's working style and hiring manager's style
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Describe your ideal manager. What management style brings out your best work?"
"Tell me about the best and most challenging managers you've had. What made them effective or difficult?"
Probing Questions
"What level of autonomy versus guidance do you prefer in a role like this?"
"How have you successfully adapted to very different management styles in the past?"
"Tell me about a time you helped your manager succeed."
Evidence to look for: Preference alignment with hiring manager's style, adaptability, managing up skills, communication preferences, autonomy needs vs. team's structure.
Culture & Environment
Values alignment, pace match, and cultural fit
Pace Match
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"Describe the culture and environment where you've done your best work. What made it ideal for you?"
"Tell me about a time you thrived in a fast-paced / high-ambiguity / highly structured environment." [match to your culture]
Probing Questions
"How do you handle rapid change and shifting priorities?"
"What pace of work energizes you? What drains you?"
"Tell me about a time you helped shape or improve the culture of your team or company."
Evidence to look for: Values alignment, pace compatibility, ability to adapt to ambiguity, history of contributing positively to culture, evidence of thriving in similar environments.
Intrinsic Motivation
The "n" in the Hiring Formula — the exponent that multiplies everything
💡 Interview Questions & Probing Techniques
Primary Questions
"What specifically interests you about this role beyond the title and compensation?"
"When you think about your next career move, what are you hoping to achieve — and why does this role fit that?"
Probing Questions
"What type of work energizes you most? When do you lose track of time?"
"Why is this role a better fit for you than other opportunities you're considering?"
"Tell me about a time you went above and beyond without being asked. What drove you?"
Evidence to look for: Genuine enthusiasm for the work itself, alignment with personal mission, intrinsic drivers, career goal alignment, evidence of self-motivation, passion indicators that go beyond the job description.

Overall Fit Based on Shared Evidence

Provide specific evidence to justify any very low ratings (below 2) or very high ratings (above 4). Include observations about Work Type alignment and pace match.

Scorecard Summary

Performance-based Hiring · The Adler Group

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Performance-based Hiring — The Adler Group
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Based on Lou Adler's Hire With Your Head and The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired

The Adler Group, Inc.  ·  Laguna Beach, CA  ·  Performance-based Hiring Talent Hub  ·  info@performancebasedhiring.com

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