Most businesses drastically undervalue and underinvest in getting the hiring process right. As a leader, business owner or entrepreneur, few decisions matter more than who you hire. Yet too often, companies prioritize speed and skills over something far more critical: alignment with your values and culture. Skills can be taught – values can’t. If you’re serious about building a resilient, engaged, and values-driven team, it’s time to put values at the heart of your hiring process.
Many resumes boast the right degrees and job titles. But technical skills, while important, don’t guarantee a great hire. The best team members are those who fit—who believe in your company’s purpose, work well with your team, and reflect your values in how they operate every day.
Making that shift requires dedication to improving the process and a steadfastness not to settle for availability over fit. Here are a few initial steps that can get you started.
1. Create a Values Assessment
To hire for values, you first need to define what those values look like in action. Start by revisiting your company’s core values. Then, translate them into observable behaviors.
For example, if one of your values is “ownership,” you might assess whether a candidate takes initiative or holds themselves accountable. Use real-world scenarios to gauge how they’ve acted in past roles, such as:
“Tell me about a time you made a decision without having all the information. What was the outcome?” Or “Can you give me an example of what ownership looks like within a high performing team?”
You should turn these types of questions into a simple values scorecard to be used in Step 1 of the hiring process. This allows you to consistently evaluate each candidate against the same criteria and easy determine if a candidate should be moved to the next round.
2. Develop a Standard Set of Interview Questions
Avoid freeform interviews where each team member asks different questions. Instead, develop a standard question set that tie back to your values and job requirements. This standardization helps eliminate bias and ensures every candidate gets a fair shot. Include a mix of:
- Values-based questions (e.g., “What does integrity mean to you in a team setting?”)
- Behavioral questions (e.g., “Tell me about a time you overcame a difficult team dynamic.”)
- Role-specific questions (skills and technical ability)
Document these questions in your hiring toolkit and train your team to use them consistently.
3. Ensure Consistency in Your Interview Team
Interviewing is a team sport—but everyone needs to be playing from the same playbook. Create a consistent and limited interview panel and structure so candidates are evaluated through the same lenses.
Each interviewer should have a clear role:
- One focuses on values and culture fit
- One covers technical competencies
- One digs into communication and collaboration
Before interviews, meet with your team to assign areas of focus and review the values scorecard. After interviews, debrief together—comparing notes, data and raw feedback, not impressions.
4. Drive a Consistent Hiring Process
A strong hiring process builds trust—not just within your team, but with candidates too. Make sure your hiring stages, communication methods, and follow-ups are consistent.
Here’s what consistency looks like:
- Language: Use common terms to describe your values and what you’re looking for.
- Follow-Up: Set clear expectations on next steps and stick to them.
- Communication Tools: Whether it’s email, a hiring platform, or phone calls, use the same method throughout the process.
Consistency signals professionalism. It also helps you gather reliable data to improve your process over time.
Final Thoughts
Hiring for values doesn’t mean ignoring skills. It means putting culture alignment first, because it’s the foundation for everything else—productivity, retention, collaboration, and growth.
When you design your hiring process to reflect your values, you’re not just filling roles. You’re building a team that will carry your business forward.
We’ve been through it. We’ll help you prepare for it. Let’s get to work!
For questions on this First Principles Brief, please contact:
Brent.Teiken@teikengramer.com
Phone: 701-306-5525