Jane looked perfect in the interview.
Confident. Articulate. Sharp answers. Great energy.
She went on to become your Director of Marketing – and for a while, things seemed fine. Then cracks started to show. The role required deep analytical thinking, process ownership, and long-term focus. Those weren’t the strengths that came through in the interview – and they weren’t the strengths the role demanded.
Jane didn’t suddenly stop being talented. The issue was simpler than that: she was hired for how she interviewed, not for how the job actually worked.
If this feels familiar, you’re not alone. After decades of placing candidates across marketing, finance, HR, and operations roles, we see this pattern constantly. And it came up again recently when Celarity Managing Partner John Arnold joined Drew McLellan on his podcast to talk about hiring, assessments, and what predicts success on the job.
The short version? The skills that make someone great in an interview are often very different from the skills that make them great at the work.
The Interview Trap Most Companies Fall Into
Traditional interviews reward a very specific skill set. They favor people who:
- Think quickly on their feet
- Communicate smoothly under pressure
- Are naturally confident and verbal
Those are real strengths, but they’re not universal requirements.
If a role requires deep focus, operational discipline, analytical thinking, or long stretches of independent work, the “best interviewer” may actually struggle once the job starts.
As John put it on the podcast:
“The standard interview is set up for extroverted, people-oriented sellers and persuaders. That may not be what you need. If you’re hiring an integrator-type role, they often won’t interview as well as a visionary – even though they might be exactly what your business needs.”
This gets even trickier in founder-led and growing companies. Leaders naturally gravitate toward people who feel familiar – similar energy, similar communication style, similar instincts. Over time, that creates teams with duplicated strengths and very real blind spots.
Whether you’re hiring internally or working with a recruiting partner, the real work doesn’t start with the interview. It starts with understanding what success in the role looks like.
The Curiosity Question That Reveals More Than a Resume Ever Will
John has a favorite interview question that consistently cuts through rehearsed answers: “What are you passionate about?”
It’s not the question itself that matters, it’s what comes next.
When a candidate answers, John keeps going:
- What are you reading?
- What do you like about it?
- How did you get into that?
- What else are you curious about right now?
You’re not judging what they’re interested in. You’re listening for depth.
Can they go beyond surface-level answers? Do they light up when they talk? Do they explore ideas, make connections, ask questions of their own?
Over time, a clear pattern emerges. People who are genuinely curious tend to:
- Learn faster
- Adapt better
- Figure things out when processes change
- Stay engaged when the work gets hard
People who struggle to go deeper often struggle in roles that require growth, problem-solving, and ownership – no matter how polished their resume looks.
Why Resumes and Gut Feel Aren’t Enough Anymore
Hiring looks very different than it used to. There’s more volume, tighter timelines, and with “easy apply,” you’re often wading through hundreds of candidates just to find a few real fits.
This is where data matters. It’s not meant to replace human judgment, it’s designed to strengthen it.
John advocates for using behavioral data early in the process, before interviews start. At Celarity, that means Predictive Index assessments.
The goal isn’t to label people. It’s to create clarity:
- What behavioral traits are required to succeed in this role?
- What cognitive demands are non-negotiable?
- Where will someone struggle – even if they’re generally talented?
When you define that upfront, assessments become a powerful filter. You reduce bias, manage volume, and focus your time on candidates who are wired for the work.
This matters whether you’re hiring a Director, building a leadership team, or filling urgent roles where speed matters. When job targets are clear, you can move faster without sacrificing quality.
A Hiring Process That Works (and Doesn’t Waste Time)
Once you’ve screened with data, the interview process should be structured, but not rigid.
John recommends a simple three-round approach:
Round 1: Phone Screen
This is about alignment, not selling. What does the candidate want to do? What do they not want to do? Are expectations aligned on scope, compensation, and timeline?
Round 2: Hiring Manager Interview
Now you go deeper. Use assessment data to ask targeted questions tied directly to the reality of the role vs. hypothetical scenarios.
Round 3: Small Group Interview
Limit this to two or three people. If collaboration is key, include cross-functional partners. The goal is to understand how this person works with others, not to overwhelm them.
Whenever possible, add a practical component. If the role involves presenting, have them present. If it involves analysis, give them a real-world scenario. Model the work they’ll actually be doing.
Hiring Is Only the Beginning
One of the most overlooked uses of assessment data is after someone is hired.
Roles change. Businesses evolve. Strong performers can suddenly look like they’re struggling, not because they’ve changed, but because the role has.
Using behavioral data with existing team members helps leaders:
- Understand where friction is coming from
- Adjust roles before burnout sets in
- Improve communication across different working styles
- Build development paths that motivate people
As John says, “An A-player doesn’t just turn into a C-player. There’s always something underneath that’s worth understanding.”
This is where hiring turns into real talent strategy.
The Future is Data + Human Judgment
Looking ahead, John predicts hiring will become increasingly data-driven. “I’m a strong believer that going forward, the best way to hire is going to be just all these data points and sifting through it, especially with these AI tools.”
This isn’t meant to replace human judgment, it should be about strengthening it. “Sports, which has major investments, has been doing this for a long time now. Everyone knows Moneyball. I think there’s going to be a strong movement towards getting as many data points as possible about candidates and being able to predict outcomes better.”
The companies that will win are those that combine behavioral data, cognitive assessments, structured interviews, and practical tests into a coherent system. They’ll make faster decisions with better outcomes because they’re not guessing, they’re predicting based on evidence.
The Difference Between Guessing and Getting It Right
Whether you’re hiring your first director-level role or building out an entire department, the process starts the same way: Define what success actually looks like for your specific situation.
Before you write the job description, ask yourself:
- What behavioral traits do our best performers in similar roles share?
- What cognitive demands does this role have?
- How will we measure success in the first 90 days? First year?
- What would cause someone to struggle in this role, even if they’re generally talented?
If you’re handling this internally, start with a behavioral assessment to create your job target. If you’re working with a recruiting partner, make sure they understand these requirements before they start sourcing.
The goal isn’t to eliminate all hiring risk – that’s impossible. It’s to make better predictions based on data instead of hoping your gut instincts are right.
Ready to make your next hire your best hire? Start with a free Predictive Index assessment to define what success looks like for your role. Because the difference between a good interview and a good hire might be the most important distinction you make this year.
About Celarity
We’re a family-owned staffing, recruiting, and talent advisory firm that’s been creating happy careers since 1993. We help companies across marketing, finance, HR, and operations make smarter hiring decisions through data-driven assessment and proven search processes. Whether you need staffing support, executive recruiting, or talent advising services, we combine 30+ years of expertise with modern tools to deliver results that last.
Contact us to discuss your hiring challenges, or learn more about our services.