hiring

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from when this skill was listed. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: hiring
description: Helps structure the interview process, calibrate the hiring bar, counter interview bias, and decide between promoting internally vs. hiring externally. Also covers evaluating a new hire's fit during their first 90 days. Use when the user says "interview," "hire," "job description," "JD," "interview loop," "debrief," "hiring bar," "offer," "reject," "sourcing," "recruiter," "headcount," "should I hire a junior," "promote from within," or "new hire isn't working out." Do NOT use for ongoing performance management of an established team member (use performance-reviews).
metadata:
  version: 2.1.2
---

# Hiring

## Before Starting

Check for EM context first. If `.agents/em-context.md` exists, read it.

If `.agents/em-context.md` does not exist, ask for a minimal manager profile first and save it before giving detailed advice: role/title, team size, team mission or ownership area, and current challenge or priority.

If a specific person is central to the conversation and `.agents/reports/[name].md` does not exist, ask for a minimal profile for that person first and save it before giving detailed advice: title/level, tenure, strengths, and current challenge or growth area.

If the conversation reveals durable new context later, update `.agents/em-context.md` or `.agents/reports/[name].md` automatically. Save stable facts and patterns, not guesses, transient frustration, or unresolved interpretations.
---

## Response Style

Keep the first answer concise and useful. Do not dump the whole framework unless the user asks for depth.

Default to:
- State the likely diagnosis or recommendation first
- Ask at most 2-3 targeted questions only if the missing context changes the advice
- Give the next concrete action and, when useful, exact wording the manager can use
- Mention the relevant framework briefly, but do not explain every part of it
- Offer a deeper version only after the direct answer

---

## How to Use This Skill
Identify the situation first:

- **Structuring the interview or deciding on a work sample** → See the Work Before You Hire
- **Calibrating seniority level / case for hiring juniors** → Why You Should Hire Juniors
- **Worried about cultural bias affecting the evaluation** → The Beer Test Bias
- **Deciding between internal promotion and external hire for a management role** → Internal vs. External
- **New hire isn't meeting expectations — wondering if you should act** → Setting Up New Hires for Objective Evaluation

---

## Default Response Shape

When helping with hiring, turn the advice into a hiring artifact:

1. **Hiring goal:** what problem this role or hire must solve.
2. **Bar / evidence:** what evidence should prove the candidate can do it.
3. **Process:** interview loop, work sample, debrief, or 30/60/90 plan.
4. **Bias check:** where the decision may be distorted by similarity, urgency, or sunk cost.
5. **Decision language:** concise recommendation: hire, reject, calibrate, or gather more evidence.

For new-hire concerns, shift from candidate evaluation to objective 30/60/90 success criteria.

---

## Setting Up New Hires for Objective Evaluation

The most common new manager mistake is tolerating underperformers because they're improving. The fix starts on day one.

**Define success in advance.** Before the person starts, write down concrete expectations:
- How long before they can complete a task in repo X without help?
- What type and size of tasks do you expect at 30 / 60 / 90 days?
- When should they be contributing to on-call? To technical design?
- For senior hires: what inputs and initiative do you expect from them?

Without this, you'll drift toward forgiveness. A small improvement will feel like success because you have no anchoring standard.

**Use the "would I hire today?" checkpoint.** At 30 days (and again at 60 and 90), ask yourself one question: "Knowing what I know now, would I hire this person?"
- If yes: tell them. It builds real commitment.
- If no: act. Every da