Three-Stage Interview Process
Test cultural alignment, job performance, and values before hiring
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 99%
Natalie Dawson describes three distinct interviews that test different hiring risks. The cultural interview comes first and explores whether the candidate has real goals and fits an ambitious environment. The technical interview then moves the person as close as practical to the work: a salesperson makes calls, while a designer creates and presents work under conditions resembling the organisation's pace. The final core-values interview asks candidates to provide concrete examples of living the stated values and present that evidence to leadership. The mechanism is progressive validation: motivation and alignment establish the baseline, observed performance tests capability, and past behaviour supplies evidence for values. Dawson presents ownership of this process as a leadership responsibility because every hire can influence the organisation's environment.
Origin
Dawson says she uses this three-stage process in her organisation and listened to every core-values presentation for Cardone Ventures' first 100 team members.
Core principles
- 01Cultural alignment should be tested before technical skill
- 02Candidates should perform work resembling the real role
- 03Values require behavioural evidence rather than agreement
- 04The business owner remains responsible for the environment
How to run it
- 1
Test cultural alignment
Explore the candidate's goals before focusing on technical history. Ask for a specific account of where they want to be in five years and compare it with the environment the organisation is building.
Pro tip Press beyond a polished first answer until the goals are concrete.
Watch out A goal question is evidence about alignment, not proof of future performance.
- 2
Observe the real skill
Give the candidate a task that resembles the pace and substance of the role. Watch how they perform instead of relying only on a résumé or verbal description.
Pro tip For sales, observe calls; for design, observe the creation and presentation of relevant work.
Watch out Keep exercises proportionate and avoid disguising unpaid client work as assessment.
- 3
Verify core values
Ask for specific occasions when the candidate demonstrated each important value. Have finalists explain the evidence to relevant leaders before a decision is made.
Pro tip Look for measurable details where the value concerns results or accountability.
Watch out Repeating the organisation's value language is not behavioural evidence.
In the wild
Dawson says a sales candidate may receive a list of 50 people to call while the interviewer listens. The exercise reveals whether the person can perform the work rather than merely discuss sales experience.
→ The hiring team obtains direct evidence of role-relevant capability.
Common mistakes
Hiring on goals alone
Cultural alignment is only the first gate; the candidate still needs to demonstrate technical ability and values.
Testing a different job
An impressive generic case study can mislead if it does not resemble the actual role and working conditions.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for organisations that can define their culture, real work, and core values clearly.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when the exercises do not resemble the job or demand substantial unpaid production work.
From the transcript
“I use a three-step interview process.”
“first a cultural interview”
“the final one is a core values interview”
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