Breaking Down the Recruiting Brick Wall: Evaluating & Selecting Candidates

This article is the last in a three-part series looking at how your organization can improve its hiring processes. Just joining us? Read parts one and two to learn about creating your success profile and sourcing candidates for your positions.

In Post 2 in our series “Breaking Down the Recruiting Brick Wall: How to Build More Effective Hiring Practices,” we shared a few active ways to go beyond your standard job postings and effectively source and recruit the right candidates for your organization.

Now that you know how to identify the top candidates for your pipeline, how will you evaluate them properly in order to make the best hire possible?

To assess candidates, your organization may follow standard practices such as reviewing resumes to look for at least the minimum qualifications; bringing qualified candidates through an interview process; or conducting reference checks with candidates’ former employers.

Many organizations often believe using one or two of these practices will be enough to decide whether a candidate is the right fit. But, rather than relying on a face-to-face interview or a reference check, putting together all of these practices (and more) will better allow you to gain a truer picture of who a candidate really is and how they will fit in at your organization.

Today we’ll help you take your core candidate evaluation practices to the next level and show you how to combine interviews, reference checks and other assessment tools to increase your chances of making a great hire.

Combining Assessment Tools to Evaluate & Select Candidates

Remember Your Candidate Success Profile

Before you begin evaluating candidates, refer back to the Candidate Success Profile we discussed in Post 1 to know what to look for when reviewing resumes, what to address with interview questions, etc. Like with the other steps in your hiring process, using the Success Profile as the foundation for your assessment process will ensure you choose the candidate with the right hard and soft skills needed in order to succeed in the role.

Nail the Interview

How would you rate your interview process? How would candidates rate it? A strong and consistent interview strategy is critical in evaluating candidates. Here are a few things to consider when putting yours together.

The Interview Team

Who from your organization will interview candidates? Should candidates meet with everyone in the first round, or will interviewers meet with candidates at different stages of the process? And will the interviews be cross-functional, or will candidates only meet with members of the hiring department?

Decide on the size and scope of your interview team at the beginning of the process, and follow the same interview structure and schedule with each candidate you bring through the interviews.

Maintaining a consistent interview team makes it easier to ensure that everyone involved in this stage understands the needs of the role and the qualifications you are seeking in a candidate. Logistically, keeping your interview team consistent can also make scheduling interviews go more smoothly, which will help you move quickly with candidates and maintain search momentum.

The Interview Questions

Use your Success Profile to develop questions that address the key areas you’ve identified that a candidate will need to excel in this role. Consider assigning specific skillsets for individual interviewers to focus on based on their respective areas. For example, a member of your finance team could assess the candidate’s analytical competence while a human resources professional evaluates cultural fit. You should also make sure to keep questions open-ended.

Ultimately, you want to design questions that will prompt candidates to provide specific examples relating back to the Success Profile or allowing you to observe their skills in action. Below is an example of what we’re talking about.

How you word your interview questions is crucial in eliciting an answer that gives you a better picture of the candidate’s views and working styles. In the scenario above, the word “control” baits the candidates, enabling you to figure out if and how they are able to partner across functions within your organization.

Scenario-Based Work Examples

Another way to evaluate candidates’ fit during the interview process is to assign a project to complete prior to your in-person meeting with them. These scenario-based work examples allow you to assess hard and soft skills that may be challenging to evaluate with questions alone.

For example, if filling a marketing position, you could ask candidates to develop a go-to-market strategy for a new product launch to present at their in-person interview. An assignment like this can allow you to see not only how candidates think strategically and creatively but also their ability to present to a leadership team.

Remember that these assignments or projects should also be based on the Success Profile; if “strong presentation skills” are not a key area you outlined, developing a way to evaluate this attribute would be irrelevant to your interview process.

2 More Tools to Help You Determine Who the Candidate Is

Psychometric Assessments

Many of our clients use assessments such as DiSC, Personalysis, MBTI and StrengthsFinder as evaluation tools when selecting new team members.

These tools measure an array of individual attributes, including behavior & personality, skills & competencies, emotional intelligence, motivators and values. And they aren’t just used for recruiting and hiring; many assessment suites include tests that address individual development & team building, job analysis & benchmarking, performance management and more.

Psychometric assessments can be valuable to an organization’s development and people management strategies, but they are more effective when you invest in them across your organization; rather than using an assessment for a single hire, you should adopt it for all current and new employees in order to assess your organization as a whole and maintain consistency going forward.

You will also need a trained facilitator to administer the test and interpret the results. If you aren’t ready to commit internal resources yet, engage a consultant who specializes in one or more assessment tools to oversee this process.

At 180one, we are big fans of incorporating these types of tests into your overall assessment approach, but remember that these tools are just one piece of your entire evaluation process and should not be considered “hire or not hire” tests.

Reference Checks

Most organizations conduct reference checks during the hiring process, but do you know how to make the references you receive more effective in assessing a candidate? Here are a couple of tips to help you improve your reference checks.

Ask the candidate for the right references.
The quality and reliability of your reference checks rely first on where the references come from. Again, refer back to your Success Profile as a reminder for exactly what you are looking for and determine who you need to talk to in order to learn more about how a candidate satisfies those key areas.

Hiring for a leadership position? Conduct a “360 Review” by having candidates provide you someone they report to, someone who reports to them and someone who is a peer to them to serve as references.

Rather than the candidate selecting the references to check, you could also specifically ask to speak to a former boss at ABC Company; how the candidate responds to this request will also be very telling in evaluating their fit for your organization.

Ask the references the right questions.
Like with interview questions you ask a candidate, questions for reference checks require finessing in order to draw out responses that will be useful in evaluating the candidate.

Need to know in what areas a candidate may be weak? Rather than asking, “What is the candidate’s biggest weakness?” ask a reference, “How can we help develop the candidate?” for a more honest and authentic response.

Putting All of the Pieces Together

After collecting information about your candidates through various channels (resumes, interviews, assessments, references, etc.), how do you use that data to help you make a hiring decision?

A pragmatic approach to evaluate candidates consists of developing a simple ranking system to see how their skills and fit stack up.

Create a Candidate Assessment Scoring Matrix and rank every candidate using a numeric scale on how well they meet the criteria laid out in your Success Profile.

Make sure you have the evidence to support your rankings, though. If you didn’t assess a candidate’s leadership qualities in the interview, psychometric assessment or reference check, for instance, do not assume that they are a leader just because they have that title at their current organization.

Here is an example of a simple Scoring Matrix to give you an idea.

In the end, you want to feel confident in your hiring decision, and laying all of the information you gathered out in a Scoring Matrix will take the guesswork out of deciding whether a candidate is the best choice for the role and for your organization.

A Final Recap of the “Breaking Down the Recruiting Wall” Series

Much of the conversation about what makes a company successful today centers on one main thing: its people. But, while hiring and cultivating top talent is a priority for most organizations, many companies still lag behind when it comes to investing in sourcing, recruiting and assessing new candidates.

Over the past few months, 180one has provided insight into the marketplace and tips and strategies for how to up-level your company’s hiring practices so you can start “walking the walk” and investing more in your people.

After reading the “Breaking Down the Recruiting Brick Wall” series, you are now equipped to:

Build a strong foundation for your recruiting and hiring processes by knowing what you’re looking for when it comes to the ideal candidate for a position and your organization
Take a more active and creative approach to sourcing new talent by posting jobs more strategically, leveraging the media to promote your open positions, targeting specific candidates & companies and more
Redevelop your assessment process to more accurately evaluate and select the right candidates for your organization

Of course, elevating your entire hiring process may sound like a daunting task, but this is why the retained recruiting industry exists. For organizations that aren’t ready to overhaul their systems or don’t have all of the pieces in place yet internally, a retained search firm like 180one can provide the resources, experience and know-how to find the candidates who will succeed in the most challenging roles.

Ultimately, your people are your best asset, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t start investing in finding the right professionals for your organization today.

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The Leadership Reset: Why Companies Are Replacing More Executives Than They Are Adding

By Greg Togni • June 8, 2026

For much of the last decade, executive hiring was closely tied to expansion. Growing companies added new business units, entered new markets, launched digital initiatives, and created leadership roles to support growth. Today, the picture looks markedly different. While demand for senior leadership remains strong, a growing share of executive hiring is being driven by replacement rather than expansion. Across industries, boards and leadership teams are increasingly focused on succession planning, retirement-related transitions, and upgrading leadership capabilities to meet rapidly evolving business demands. In many organizations, the question is no longer, "What new leadership roles do we need?" Instead, it has become, "Do we have the right leaders for the future we are building?" Several converging trends are driving this shift. A Wave of Leadership Turnover Leadership turnover continues to accelerate across public and private companies. According to research cited by Harvard Business Review, CEO succession rates reached 12.5% in 2025, up significantly from 9.8% the prior year. At the same time, more than 2,000 CEO departures were recorded in the United States, reflecting one of the most active succession environments in recent decades. Boards are also becoming more willing to look externally for leadership talent. Recent data show that 44% of CEO appointments among S&P 1500 companies came from outside the organization, a level near a 25-year high. This growing willingness to seek external leadership reflects a broader reality: many organizations believe that the skills required for the next phase of growth may not be fully represented within their current leadership teams. The Retirement Factor Is Becoming Impossible to Ignore Demographics are creating another powerful force behind replacement hiring. Large numbers of Baby Boomers continue to exit the workforce, creating leadership gaps across industries. While retirement timing varies by sector and geography, organizations are increasingly confronting the loss of decades of institutional knowledge and leadership experience. Many companies spent the past several years postponing succession discussions while navigating economic uncertainty, inflation, and labor market disruption. As a result, some organizations are now facing a compressed timeline to identify and develop the next generation of leaders. The challenge extends beyond simply filling vacancies. In many cases, companies are discovering that there are fewer experienced leaders available than expected, particularly in specialized industries where leadership pipelines have not kept pace with retirements. Evidence of these pressures is appearing across both public and private sectors as organizations report increasing difficulty replacing highly experienced senior talent. From Replacement to Upgrade Not all replacement hiring is driven by turnover. An increasingly common scenario involves organizations replacing leaders who are performing adequately but lack the capabilities required for future business needs. Economic uncertainty has made many organizations cautious about adding headcount. Instead of creating new executive positions, boards are asking whether existing leadership structures are optimized for growth, profitability, and transformation. Recruiters and talent advisors report a significant increase in confidential replacement searches, particularly for leadership positions impacted by AI, digital transformation, operational efficiency, and changing customer expectations. Rather than expanding leadership teams, organizations are investing in stronger leadership capability within existing roles. This represents a meaningful shift from previous cycles. Historically, executive hiring often accompanied organizational growth. Today, many leadership searches are designed to improve execution, accelerate transformation, or close capability gaps. AI Is Raising the Leadership Bar Artificial intelligence is emerging as one of the strongest drivers of leadership upgrades. Boards increasingly expect executives to understand not only their functional disciplines but also how AI will reshape business models, workflows, workforce planning, customer engagement, and competitive advantage. Organizations are reassessing leadership teams through a new lens: adaptability. Leaders are being evaluated on their ability to navigate technological disruption, lead workforce transformation, make data-driven decisions, and build organizations capable of operating in a rapidly changing environment. Companies across industries are investing heavily in AI capabilities and adjusting talent strategies accordingly. As a result, many executive searches today are less about filling a vacancy and more about acquiring capabilities that did not exist as leadership requirements even a few years ago. What Corporate Leaders Should Be Thinking About The implications for boards, CEOs, and CHROs are significant. Organizations that treat leadership succession as an occasional event may find themselves competing for scarce talent at precisely the moment they need continuity and stability. Meanwhile, companies that regularly assess leadership capabilities against future business requirements will be better positioned to navigate both retirements and transformation. The most successful organizations are no longer viewing succession planning and executive hiring as separate activities. They are treating both as part of a broader leadership strategy focused on future readiness. The executive hiring market in 2026 remains active, but the underlying motivation has changed. For many organizations, the priority is not adding more leaders. It is ensuring they have the right leaders for what comes next.

New Opportunity: President

By Effie Zimmerman • June 1, 2026

President ABOUT THE COMPANY Dating all the way back to 1878, BASCO's parent company, founded by the Cronin Family, began its long-lasting legacy. Now a fifth-generation family-operated business, BASCO has built an exceptional reputation by combining industry-leading products, expert customer guidance, and an unwavering commitment to service. With showroom locations in Portland’s Pearl District, Lake Oswego, and Bend, along with an Outlet Store, BASCO delivers a highly differentiated customer experience through interactive appliance displays, knowledgeable professionals, and a curated portfolio of more than 60 premium appliance brands, including Viking, Thermador, Dacor, Miele, and Wolf-Sub Zero-Cove. BASCO is the trusted appliance partner for discerning homeowners, luxury remodel projects, and the building community serving the upper-end residential market throughout the Pacific Northwest. POSITION SUMMARY Reporting to the CEO and the Board of Directors, the President will lead the organization into its next phase while preserving the culture, reputation, and customer-first values that have defined BASCO for generations. This executive will provide strategic and operational leadership across the business, strengthen organizational performance, develop high-performing teams, and continue elevating BASCO’s position as the region’s premier luxury appliance retailer. The President will provide leadership and oversight across all major functional areas of the business, including operations, purchasing and supplier relationships, product delivery, customer service, finance, human resources, and marketing/communications. The Ideal Candidate will possess the following skills: Proven ability to attract, develop, engage, and retain high-performing team members while building a strong, collaborative organizational culture Exceptional communication and leadership skills, with the ability to effectively delegate, influence, and collaborate across all functional areas to drive productivity and operational excellence Thoughtful and confident leader with a growth mindset, sound judgment, and the ability to make strategic and timely decisions Strong financial and business acumen with a clear understanding of key business drivers and the ability to effectively leverage organizational resources to achieve strategic and operational objectives CORE RESPONSIBILITIES Review and enhance organizational effectiveness by improving processes, fostering a highly engaged work environment, and implementing operational improvements Develop, implement, and manage annual budgets and resource allocation plans Continuously evaluate and improve operational efficiency and overall financial performance Deliver the financial objectives established by senior leadership and the Board of Directors Partner with operational leaders to establish, track, and achieve key performance metrics and KPIs Identify and implement effective solutions to business challenges, including customer concerns, profitability issues, employee relations matters, and competitive pressures Collaborate closely with the Sales Team to consistently deliver an exceptional customer experience Champion customer loyalty by ensuring a consistently high level of service and delivering commitments with integrity and responsiveness Recruit, onboard, develop, and retain high-performing talent aligned with the company’s business objectives and culture Inspire and motivate team members to achieve and exceed goals by establishing clear accountability, defining performance expectations, setting high standards, and providing ongoing coaching and feedback QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field required; advanced degree or graduate-level education preferred Proven executive leadership experience with full P&L responsibility, ideally within a retail, multi-location, distribution, or related operating environment Demonstrated success leading diverse functional areas and large teams while building strong cross-functional relationships that drive collaboration and results Strong strategic thinking and decision-making capabilities, with the ability to balance long-term objectives and day-to-day operational demands Excellent communication, collaboration, and delegation skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization Proven ability to develop, manage, and execute financial plans, budgets, and performance objectives Broad business acumen with a strong understanding of key organizational functions, including finance, operations, human resources, procurement, and sales Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to leverage data and insights to support sound business decisions Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by BASCO to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Nicole Brady at 503-699-0184 or via email at nicole@180one.com .

New Opportunity: Chief Financial Officer

By Effie Zimmerman • May 28, 2026

C HIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ABOUT THE COMPANY Founded in 1929, Bennett is a trusted, family-led provider of water, plant health, and energy solutions for growers with locations in California’s Central Valley and Hawaii. Based in Selma, California, and now led by fourth-generation CEO Tyler Bennett, the company offers fully integrated services to maximize resource efficiency - delivering turnkey solutions that help customers maximize yields, improve water efficiency, and enhance crop health. What began as a family-run business, Bennett grew alongside the farming communities it served, built on a commitment to practical solutions, dependable service, and long-term relationships. Over the decades, Bennett continued to evolve with the needs of the industry. As agriculture faced new challenges around efficiency, resource management, and crop performance, the company expanded its capabilities to support operations in more ways. Through each stage of that growth, one principle remained constant: focus on solving real problems in the field and stand behind their work. In August of 2025, Pike Street Capital made an investment in Bennett to help facilitate continued growth and geographical expansion. More information is available at www.bennett.llc . ABOUT THE POSITION The Chief Financial Officer position is accountable for the strategic, financial, administrative, and risk management operations of the company, including the development of a financial and operational strategy, metrics tied to that strategy, and the ongoing development and monitoring of control systems designed to preserve company assets, maximize profits, and report accurate financial results to the Board and stakeholders. The CFO candidate must be willing to take a side-by-side role with the CEO and executive team to motivate the people in the organization to achieve its mission and financial targets. The CFO will report to the Chief Executive Officer and be a key member of the Company’s senior executive team. She or he will design, install, and manage the practices and systems necessary, including financial policy, reporting, compliance, risk management, controls, financial accounting, cost accounting, accounting systems, cash management, banking relationships, tax strategy, and Board interface. The CFO will coordinate the development and filing of all bank and board-related reports and regulatory documents, if any, and initiate and maintain accounting and auditor relationships. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Executive & Strategic Leadership Serve as a strategic partner to the CEO and executive team, actively contributing to policy, direction, and long-term planning. Help define and execute the company’s growth strategy in alignment with operational, financial, and market objectives. Drive a high-performance culture through accountability, transparency, and collaboration. Lead by example, setting the tone and culture across the organization. Operate as a player/coach, comfortable building models, developing presentations, and engaging directly in critical business issues. Attract, develop, and retain top-tier financial and operational talent. Lead major business initiatives and projects (e.g., productivity improvement, pricing strategies) with measurable results. Shoulder broad business leadership responsibility, beyond traditional finance functions. Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Own the development and ongoing refinement of annual budgets, monthly forecasts, and long-term financial planning. Track and maintain key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure performance against strategic goals. Conduct hands-on analysis of financial performance, with actionable insights to achieve growth and EBITDA targets. Lead investment analysis and decision support, including customer pricing models and full business case development. Demonstrated expertise in labor cost management and margin improvement strategies. Bring experience across multiple ERP platforms; ERP selection and implementation experience is highly preferred. Accounting & Financial Operations Oversee all accounting and finance functions, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of financial information. Prepare and deliver comprehensive financial reporting packages, including monthly P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, and covenant compliance. Ensure all financial statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP and meet internal and external stakeholder requirements. Lead all month-end close activities, including general ledger, balance sheet reconciliations, and overhead allocation. Enhance and scale accounting processes, systems, and internal controls to support company growth. Coordinate the annual audit process, ensuring unqualified audit results. Lead the preparation and management of company-wide budgets, including revenue and capital expenditure planning. Treasury & Working Capital Management Lead cash flow forecasting, management, and decision-making around weekly cash disbursements. Improve the full cash cycle- credit policy, collections, inventory, and payables management. Manage lender relationships and covenant compliance. Use forward-looking cash flow analysis to guide capital structure decisions and working capital strategy. M&A & Private Equity Engagement Collaborate with the leadership team and private equity sponsors on M&A add-on strategies and roll-up execution. Experience or understanding of value creation planning, reporting, and board-level communication. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS A complete understanding of the role of a private company CFO as a fiduciary with responsibility for reporting, bank covenant compliance, and Board interface. Domain expertise in accounting policy, accounting systems, financial reporting, taxation, and bank compliance. Superior management, analytical, organizational, administrative, and presentation skills. The temperament and maturity to be a key confidant and collaborator with the CEO and the management peer group. Master's degree in accounting or business administration, or equivalent business experience, preferred. 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in an industry-relevant company in a financial capacity. Experience partnering with an executive team and have a high level of written and oral communication skills. Preference will be given to candidates with an MBA in Finance and the Certified Public Accountant or Certified Management Accountant designations. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by Bennett to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Lisa Heffernan / 971.256.3076/ lisa@180one.com .