For hiring, Scott Galloway advocates for prioritizing "reference hiring" above all else. He trusts a strong recommendation from a credible source so much that he considers the candidate an "80, 90% lock on the job" before they even interview. This suggests vetted referrals are a far more reliable signal of quality than traditional interview performance.

Your hiring funnel has an ideal customer profile, just like sales. Analyze your top-performing employees to identify common demographics, past experiences, and behaviors. Use this 'avatar' to filter applications and target your sourcing efforts, increasing the likelihood of success for new hires.

Treat hiring as a compounding flywheel. A new employee should not only be a great contributor but also make the company more attractive to future A-players, whether through their network, reputation, or interview presence. This focus on recruiting potential ensures talent density increases over time.

Clients get the best results from search firms when the relationship is a partnership of peers, not a vendor transaction. A great recruiter pushes back on a hiring manager's flawed assumptions or resume biases, bringing candidates to the table that might otherwise be overlooked.

Marketing leaders can significantly increase recruiting success by personally messaging high-value candidates on LinkedIn. A direct message from a hiring manager like a CMO has a much higher response rate than outreach from a recruiter, signaling the role's importance and providing a direct line to leadership.

A candidate can claim they want growth, but their resume tells the real story. Scrutinize *why* they moved between specific companies. A move for a bigger salary versus a move to work under a renowned leader reveals their actual priorities far more accurately than their interview answers.

Top performers happy in their roles won't move for a standard pay increase. To recruit them, dig deep to find personal pain points. Offering creative solutions like covering housing costs or children's tuition can be more compelling than a higher salary alone.

A 'no' from a high-value candidate shouldn't be the end of the conversation. The best approach to recruiting is to be persistent over a long time horizon. A rejection today may turn into a hire five years from now if you maintain the relationship.

Senior executives are, by definition, excellent at interviewing, making the process unreliable for signal. Instead of relying on a polished performance, ask to see the 360-degree performance reviews from their previous company. This provides a more honest, ground-truth assessment of their strengths and weaknesses.