Is this our Chief Executive Officer? An evaluation scorecard for hiring managers
8 categories that actually matter for a CEO. A few yes/no questions in each to bring a little more clarity to your hiring process.
Before You Start: Every company is different, and the right hire depends on your stage, size, strategy, and the specific challenges you're facing. Use the scorecard as a helpful starting point for structured thinking, and if you need a little more guidance, reach out to Hunt Club.
How to use the scorecard
Drawing on thousands of executive placements and our experience with high-growth companies, we've organized the scorecard into eight key categories. Evaluate whether the candidate meets each criterion, then review the final score at the bottom. To receive a score, you must complete all fields. Scorecards are meant to supplement your hiring process near/at the end of an interview loop, once you have a solid understanding of the candidate and can confidently answer questions below.
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Does this candidate command a room, and do they do it through substance (in addition to style or charisma)?
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Would the existing leadership team follow this person with conviction?
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Have I personally observed how the candidate responds to direct challenges or hard questions under pressure (e.g., from the board, upset teams, public scrutiny, etc.)?
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Do they demonstrate the kind of judgment I'd trust at 11pm on a crisis call during the weekend?
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Do they have a coherent, specific point of view on our business, our challenges, and this market?
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Have they articulated a feasible and clear vision that goes beyond what we told them in the process?
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Can they distinguish between what the business needs now versus what it will need in 3–5 years?
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Did they ask the questions that revealed genuine strategic thinking, not just due diligence?
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Have they personally run a P&L?
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Have they managed a full leadership or high-performing, senior team?
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Have they had to personally address or make hard calls on people and teams (e.g., headcount, budget cuts, performance conversations, etc.)?
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Can they walk me or our ELT through a specific decision where they were wrong and what they changed?
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Do they understand the financial mechanics of a business at our specific company stage?
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Is their execution track record as strong as their vision and strategic thinking?
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Will this person navigate the board/our investors effectively without creating friction?
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Do they know how to leverage the board and/or investors strategically rather than be managed by it?
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Have I assessed how they'll handle a board member and/or investor who disagrees with them publicly?
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Have they run or been heavily involved/contributed to productive, well-prepared board meetings?
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Is this person's leadership style compatible with the culture we're trying to actively build?
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Have I gotten candid input from at least two people on the current team who interacted with them?
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Will they attract and retain the kind of talent this company needs at the next stage?
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Do they show genuine curiosity about the team and our people, not just the business or product they're inheriting?
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Do they know where they fall short and do they have a credible plan to close those gaps?
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Are they still driven to learn/do they actively seek out challenges at this level?
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Can they describe a moment where they failed and what it cost? Only check yes if they have learned from this experience.
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Is their ego secure enough to know if they are wrong, or hire the right people to drive/execute a strategy?
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Have I spoken to references who reported to them? Only check yes if they spoke well of them.
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Have I spoken to their executive peers and/or sponsors? Only check yes if they spoke well of them.
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Do they meet the basic eligibility requirements such as years of experience, education, industry, etc.?
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Have I done enough diligence on the circumstances of their departure from prior roles?
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Did they do anything in this process that I didn't ask for that only someone who really wanted this would do?
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Did they proactively ask about the timeline, the hard moments ahead, and the exit horizon?
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Do I personally believe they'll be here in five years?
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I am hiring out of conviction, not out of pressure to fill the seat.
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Do they have a passion/is this mission personally meaningful to them, beyond the business opportunity?
Whatever your score,
the next move matters.
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