The Science of Hiring: How to find in interviews the people who will stay with you for years

In early May I gave a talk at one of Israel’s most “wow” leadership conferences, the Leaders In Tech Conference. It got plenty of love and applause from the crowd.

Today it went up on YouTube and we wanted to share it here with you, with a short summary for anyone who wants the TL;DR.

Why long-term hiring is critical to success

As a manager, you know hiring isn’t just a technical process of filling roles. It’s a strategic decision that shapes your company’s future.

When we hire right, we lay solid foundations: stable teams that work in harmony, knowledge that stays in the company, and a culture that evolves and gets better.

When we hire wrong, the price is steep. Studies show the cost of a bad hire can reach up to 200% of the employee’s annual salary. But the real cost goes beyond money - frustrated teams, damaged trust, and stalled business momentum.

So how do you hire right? How do you identify not just good people, but the right people for you?

Seven principles for hiring that works long-term

1. Look for passion, not just talent

Start the interview with a simple question: “Tell me about a project you’re truly proud of - the kind that when you talk about it, your eyes light up.”

The answer will reveal far more than technical ability. It will show you what drives the person, what excites them, and where they find meaning.

Listen not only to what the candidate says, but how they say it. Do you see a spark? Do you feel the energy?

Then go deeper: “How did this project impact the business?” and “What would you do differently today?” The answers expose systems thinking and the ability to learn and grow.

A great candidate talks not only about the technical solution, but the business value. They show critical thinking about their own work and the capacity to improve.

2. Look for excellence at something in life

I look for people who’ve been excellent at something - doesn’t matter what. A national-level chess player, a professional dancer, a musician who performed abroad, or an athlete who won a championship.

Why? Because people who’ve excelled at anything have already proven they’ve got the internal engine - the drive to succeed, the willingness to train for hours, to face failures, and to get back up.

That’s “grit” - the blend of perseverance and passion for long-term goals that research shows predicts success better than raw talent.

People like that, when they hit a wall - and they will, especially in a startup - don’t run. They handle it. They find a way.

3. Assess career stability - but with the right lens

Someone who bounced through five companies in two years? Maybe there are good reasons - but it’s a signal worth digging into.

Look not just at tenure lengths, but at the story behind them. There’s a difference between someone who left because the company was acquired, and someone who left because “the manager didn’t get me” again and again.

Look for candidates who talk about what they left behind: achievements, processes they built, relationships they formed. These are people who leave a mark - and stay long enough to make one.

4. Raise the bar, always

Ask yourself: Is this candidate above the current team’s average?

Not “Are they good enough.” Not “Will they manage.” But - will they raise the level?

This is a lesson I learned from companies like Netflix. Every new hire should raise the bar. If you hire below average, you’re lowering the level of the whole team, and over time - the entire company.

When you bring in someone who isn’t strong enough, it doesn’t end with one person’s mediocre output. It creates team frustration, forces others to “carry” them, and drags morale down.

On the other hand, every person who raises the bar pulls everyone up - creating a positive spiral of continuous improvement.

5. Detect strong intrinsic motivators

Money matters, of course. But if it’s the only driver, you’ve got a problem - someone will always offer more.

What really motivates the person in front of you? Challenge? Meaning? Impact? Learning? Personal growth?

During the interview, try to find the story the candidate tells about themselves. Do they see the job with you as a step toward something bigger they’re building? Or just another stop on the way to the next paycheck?

Candidates with strong intrinsic motivation - who truly connect to what you’re doing, who find meaning in it - stick with you when the days get hard. And they always do.

6. Ensure fit to the company’s DNA

A technically excellent candidate who doesn’t fit your values and culture is like a transplanted organ the body rejects. It won’t work, no matter how hard you try.

I learned this firsthand: I once interviewed someone who was a technical genius. Degrees from the Technion, rich experience, deep understanding. But their work history was with companies that manipulated user information, scraped data without consent, and used ethically questionable tactics.

At the time I worked at a company that emphasized transparency, trust, and top-tier customer service. It wasn’t a fit - not because he was a bad person, but because his values were completely different.

Remember: culture is built day by day, decision by decision, person by person. Don’t hire people who will build a culture you don’t believe in.

7. Make reference calls meaningful

Most people treat reference calls like a ceremony - another box to tick. That’s a huge mistake.

Turn reference calls into real conversations, with questions that surprise:

“If you were starting a startup today - would you hire them as one of your first employees?” (not “would you recommend them,” but would you trust them with your money) “Where would you rank them relative to your team? Top 10%? Top 50%?” “I can handle anything, but I don’t like surprises. Is there anything I should know about?”

That last phrasing is magic. It lowers defenses and lets the reference share things they wouldn’t otherwise say. I’ve received critical information through that question - including things like “He really struggles to take feedback” or “When he disagrees with a decision, he just does what he wants.”

Practical implementation: a step-by-step process

Now that we understand the principles, here’s a practical process you can run from the very next interview:

Before the interview: define clearly the values you’re looking for - beyond technical skills. In the first interview: ask about a project the candidate is proud of. Look for enthusiasm, energy, and the ability to understand how the work impacted the business. In the deep-dive: dig into past achievements and challenges, areas of excellence, and what truly drives the candidate. In the team session: observe how the candidate communicates with others and how they fit the existing dynamics. In the reference check: ask deep, non-standard questions that reveal the real person. In the decision discussion: assess the candidate against the current team’s bar and ask: will they raise the level?

Summary: build a team - not just fill seats

At the end of the day, good hiring is more than spotting talent. It’s the craft of building a team, shaping a culture, and creating a shared future.

You’re not just looking for smart people - you’re looking for people who will share the journey, help you build something bigger, and stay for the long haul.

When you do this right, you’re not just filling roles - you’re creating a system greater than the sum of its parts. A team that works in harmony, tackles challenges, and keeps growing together.

And that’s the difference between hiring - and building a winning organization.