I’m a talent agency Founder, in my second year now – and looking to make my first hire. I know the importance of getting the right person, do you have any ideas on what the interview process should include?
Your first hire is a big one. They won’t simply be joining your agency – they’ll be representing your name, building relationships with your talent and potentially making important decisions when you’re not in the room.
It’s worth creating an interview process that tests more than just experience on paper. You need to understand their personality, judgement and commercial thinking, as well as whether their vision fits the agency you’re building.
For the first stage, keep the initial Zoom or Teams conversation relaxed and human. This isn’t the time to grill them on processes or put them under pressure. It’s about getting to know the person behind the CV.
Do they listen as well as they pitch? Are they genuinely curious about your roster, values and ambitions? Are they familiar with your roster? Do they ask thoughtful questions about where the agency is heading?
Of course experience matters, but so does chemistry – particularly when you’re building a team and will be working closely together.
For the second stage, give candidates an opportunity to show you how they think & operate. Rather than relying entirely on spoken interview answers, set them a short task based on the realities of the role.
You could ask them to prepare:
- A one or two-page deck for a current talent, outlining a 3 / 6 / 12 month strategy – covering potential brand partnerships, podcast ideas, television opportunities, events or other ways to develop their career
- A shortlist of talent they would be interested in signing, with a brief explanation of why each person would complement your existing roster
- A contract-redlining exercise or sample outreach email to a brand –
These tasks will help you assess their commercial instincts, creativity, attention to detail and communication style. They’ll also show whether their taste and vision genuinely aligns with your agency.
A focused exercise followed by a conversation about their answers will often reveal far more than an overly detailed presentation. The reasoning behind their ideas is often more valuable than the finished document itself.
Ultimately, the interview process should give you confidence that this person can represent your talent, uphold your values and act as a trusted extension of your agency.
If the chemistry feels right and their work demonstrates sound judgement, commercial awareness and genuine care for talent, you’ll have a solid foundation for making that all-important first hire.
Good luck!
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