Hire Slow, Fire Fast – Part 2: Setting Up Your New Hire for Success (Part 2 of 3)

In Part 1, we covered what it really means to “hire slow”—focusing on building a success profile, asking the right interview questions, and being intentional in your selection process.

But hiring the right person is just the beginning.

So what’s next?

Hiring slow sets the stage. But what you do in the first 30 days determines whether a good hire becomes a great fit.

So don’t just onboard—coach, connect, and calibrate. That’s how you retain top talent and build high-performing teams.

Once you've found your ideal candidate using your success profile and structured interview process, it's time to set them up for long-term success. Here’s how to do that—starting from Day 1.

Step 1: Integrate the Success Profile into Onboarding

Within the first two weeks of onboarding, bring your team together with the new hire and review the success profile you used during the hiring process.

Why? Because this profile is more than just a hiring tool—it’s a performance roadmap.

Use this time to:

• Discuss expectations, workflow, and real-life scenarios

• Ask the team to share examples of what success looks like in action

• Reinforce that this is a collaborative process, not a pass/fail checklist

Let the new hire know upfront:

“We’ll meet again at the 30-day mark to revisit the success profile and talk through what’s working and where you may need support. My expectation is that you’ll come to that conversation with questions—areas where things aren’t totally clear or where you feel stuck. No one hits the profile 100% right away. Your feedback helps me help you.”

This sets a tone of openness, shared responsibility, and continuous improvement.

 

Step 2: 30-Day Check-In – Feedback Goes Both Ways

Be sure to check in with the new hire and not just wait for the 30-day mark. At the 30-day mark, schedule a dedicated meeting with your new hire to:

• Share your observations on how they’re performing against the success profile

• Ask for their feedback on how things are going—what’s working, what’s not, and where they need support

• Collaborate on a plan to continue building momentum

This isn’t just a performance check-in—it’s a two-way conversation that builds trust, promotes alignment, and helps surface obstacles before they become problems.

How We Can Help

At Levin HR Consulting, we teach leaders how to go beyond performance reviews and checklists. We equip managers with the tools to lead through listening, set clear expectations, and build trust with their teams.

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