{"id":30933,"date":"2025-07-30T15:28:57","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T15:28:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.staging.certn.co\/?p=30933"},"modified":"2025-11-17T16:40:59","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T16:40:59","slug":"what-makes-or-breaks-executive-hiring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.staging.certn.co\/anz\/blog\/what-makes-or-breaks-executive-hiring\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes Or Breaks Executive Hiring"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On this week\u2019s episode of What the FTE?<\/em>, Certn\u2019s Head of People & Culture, Melissa Marcelissen<\/a>, sat down with Marianne Bulger<\/a>, Partner at True Search, an executive search firm, for an unfiltered look at what really makes executive hiring work\u2026 or fall apart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From misalignment to the myth of \u201cculture fit,\u201d they unpacked the common traps that even seasoned hiring teams fall into, and what it actually takes to build a leadership team that performs under pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hiring the right executive isn\u2019t just a strategic decision, it\u2019s a defining one. Whether you’re building your first leadership team or scaling a global org, the cost of a mis-hire is steep: wasted time, lost momentum, and fractured teams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, many companies still walk into executive hiring with blind spots wide open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Certn<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hiring Misalignment is an Expensive Habit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Marianne is a seasoned executive search partner, so I was curious to hear what she had to say about what the best hiring teams do differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Misalignment Will Cost You Every Time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The #1 mistake? Not getting aligned early.<\/strong> Not just on role requirements, but on why you\u2019re hiring in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t agree upfront on who you need, why you need them, and what they\u2019ll actually do, you\u2019re setting the process up to fail,\u201d<\/em> says Marianne. \u201cIt costs you time, money, and often\u2014your top candidate.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Purple Squirrel Problem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Unrealistic expectations are another classic pitfall. Marianne explains that if your ideal candidate only exists in LinkedIn job descriptions\u2014fluent in five industries, has scaled 10x ARR, and loves spreadsheets and<\/em> story arcs\u2014you\u2019re hunting a unicorn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Culture Add Beats Culture Fit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Still screening for “culture fit”? You might be chasing sameness over strength. Diverse executive teams outperform homogeneous ones in innovation, retention, and long-term performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCulture fit too often becomes code for \u2018someone just like us,\u2019\u201d<\/em> Marianne warns. \u201cThe best teams aren\u2019t homogenous\u2014they\u2019re complementary.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Hiring Process Is<\/em> Your Employer Brand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to a 2025 report by CareerPlug<\/a>, negative interactions during interviews cause 36% of candidates to decline offers. And yet, many hiring processes are clunky, inconsistent, or eerily quiet after the first interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreat candidates are evaluating you just as much. If your process is slow or disorganized, they\u2019ll bounce,\u201d<\/em> Marianne says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re scaling? Bring in your CEO. Founder involvement closes candidates faster, as we discussed with Matthew Heiydt in Scaling Smart: How to Drive High-Growth Hiring Without Sacrificing Quality<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hire for Today\u2019s Role and Tomorrow\u2019s Reality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Want someone who\u2019ll stay? Don\u2019t just hire for what they\u2019ve already done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf they\u2019ve done the job top to bottom, and there\u2019s no room to grow, they won\u2019t be around in three years,\u201d<\/em> says Marianne. \u201cYou want someone ready to stretch, just one seat away from where they\u2019re going.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2705 Pro Tip:<\/strong> Look for number-twos from high-performing teams. A VP under a world-class CMO. A director who ran point in a scaled product org. Coachable ambition matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No Surprises, No Regrets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hiring is a high-stakes trust exercise, for both sides. Over-selling your company or skipping the hard conversations leads to mismatched expectations and premature exits. Encourage exec teams to speak candidly about what it\u2019s like to work at your company. Growth starts with transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPut on the rose-coloured glasses. Then take them off,\u201d <\/em>Marianne advises. \u201cWhat\u2019s messy? What\u2019s real? Be honest with your candidates so they can be honest with you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P.S. \u2013 This is not unlike Alice Burks\u2019 advice to \u201csell the nightmare\u201d where she discussed How Deel Built a World Class Remote Culture with Zero Office Space<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TL;DR: Hiring High-Impact Execs Starts Here<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s your checklist:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2705 Get internal alignment early and ruthlessly<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2705 Map must-haves vs stretch traits<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2705 Prioritize culture add, not fit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2705 Keep candidates engaged with clear, fast comms<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2705 Hire people who\u2019ve done 80% and are hungry for the rest<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2705 Build trust from the first conversation
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