Prospex Recruiting Insights: Interviewing with Your Future Direct Reports

How to interview with someone who will be YOUR DIRECT REPORT!?

At Prospex Recruiting, we work closely with companies and candidates navigating high-stakes hiring decisions, from executive placements to leadership transitions. One topic that comes up frequently is how to approach interviews, not just with leadership teams, but also with the people you may eventually manage.

As a firm focused on leadership hiring and long-term team alignment, we see how these dynamics impact both hiring decisions and team success. Learn more about our approach and experience on our About Us page.

We talk frequently about how to interview with the people you will be reporting to or when interviewing with the leadership team.

What is the best approach to interview when the interview is with someone who will be reporting directly to you?

Start With the Right Mindset

First off, don’t come in too hot. Yes, this person will be reporting to you. However, they don’t report to you yet. They are a trusted member of the team and, so far, their opinion as to if you get hired will carry more weight than your interviews right now.

Best approach? Obviously, each situation will be looking for different traits in a leader, but approach the interview with a service-leader mindset. Make sure they know you are looking for how to support the team and the company in the best way to be able to hit the goals all around.

Questions to Ask a Future Direct Report

Good questions to ask:

👌 What are you looking for in a [leader/manager/supervisor/fill-in-the-blank]?

👌 What are some things I could come in Day One and work with you to improve?

👌 What management styles do you work best with?

Do Your Homework and Build Rapport

👌 What works well on the team and what could be improved?

👌 Review them on LinkedIN (assuming they have one) and have some relevant questions about their background just as you would for an interview with a superior.

👌 Be yourself! [I know, this isn’t a question but demands its own bullet point]. So much of the success of a leader/report relationship comes from a good, core cultural fit. This is an awesome time for both parties to assess that!

Listen More Than You Talk

Make sure to actively listen and let them do a good chunk of the talking – validate their responses and have a few examples to highlight some previous positive leadership moments you’ve had. This is your opportunity to build rapport with someone that could be reporting to you and instilling that excitement for you to come in and mentor them, as opposed to starting day 1 with a disgruntled team member!

Join the Conversation with Prospex Recruiting

Reach out to Prospex Recruiting on LinkedIn or on our website to run through a few scenarios so you are prepped for your interview!

⁉️ How have you approached an interview with a direct report?

⁉️ If you’ve been the direct report conducting the interview, what have you looked for in a leader??

We want to hear from you! Reach out to Prospex’s founders, Abby Roberts or Josh Roberts, with your thoughts.

DEAR ABBY: I keep seeing frustration, tension, and turnover on my team… how do I know if our communication patterns are the real problem?

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. These are the kinds of conversations we have every single day, with both employees and leaders trying to figure out what’s really going on beneath the surface. The deeper we explore these situations, the more one issue stands out above the rest.

Communication Is the Common Thread

Communication, communication, communication!! 🙈 🙉 🙊

One step further – HEALTHY communication!

At Prospex Recruiting, we are working through some of the biggest changes people and companies go through and one that has the biggest impact on someones life and work experience all around.

We hear why people are frustrated, are wanting to leave, and aren’t feeling valued. We hear frustrations with coworkers and treatment of others. We hear why hiring managers are wanting to replace a team member, expectations aren’t being met, or team dynamics aren’t there. Through all of these conversations that I have well exceeded my 10,000 hours of having, a GIANT theme that is glaring is poor communication patterns across the board.

The Impact of Poor Communication Patterns

Communication, good or bad, can be one of the primary forces behind anyone on the team feel valued, validated, heard, and accepted. This can be the change agent from someone loving or dreading coming to work!

Even if a role isn’t the right fit (from either the company or employee standpoint), if clear expectations are communicated, if proper feedback and support is given along the way, and people are treated with respect, communication can be the differentiator between burning a bridge or keeping a lasting relationship!

What Healthy Communication Looks Like

🙂 Active Listening: Focus entirely on the speaker, avoid interrupting, and paraphrase their points to ensure understanding.

🙂 Clear and Concise Communication: Be direct about your needs, thoughts, and feelings to prevent misunderstandings.

🙂 Nonverbal Cues: Maintain eye contact, use open posture, and align your tone of voice with your message. Be aware of your facial expressions!

🙂 Using “I” Statements: Frame conversations around your own feelings and experiences (e.g., “I feel…” rather than “You make me…”) to reduce defensiveness.

🙂 Emotional Intelligence and Regulation: Manage stress during conversations to stay calm and respond rather than react.

🙂 Empathy and Respect: Validate the other person’s perspective, even if you disagree.

🙂 Setting Time for Dialogue: Schedule uninterrupted, dedicated time to discuss important matters.

🙂 Constructive Feedback: Focus on specific behaviors and provide positive reinforcement.

🙂 Avoid Bringing Up the Past: Focus on the present issue to find solutions faster.

🙂 Be Willing to Compromise: Aim for win-win outcomes rather than just being right.

🙂 Be Mindful of Timing: Choose appropriate moments for difficult conversations.

Contact Prospex Recruiting for Assistance!

How have you seen communication patterns impact your career??

Communication really can be the difference between someone thriving at work or quietly planning their exit. It shapes how valued people feel, how expectations are met, and whether relationships grow stronger or quietly break down. The patterns we allow today become the culture we live with tomorrow. If you’re seeing tension, turnover, or misalignment on your team, it might be time to look at how communication is showing up.

At Prospex Recruiting, we walk through these dynamics every day. If you’d like to talk through what you’re experiencing or learn more about how we support teams and hiring managers, reach out to our team to start the conversation.

#communication #mentalhealth #mindful #career

DEAR ABBY: I’m overwhelmed by the job search process and don’t know where to start. How do I stop overthinking and make progress?

Job seekers who suffer from OVER ANALYSIS PARALYSIS…. THIS one is for YOU! Whether you’ve been at your company for 10+ years and are mentally grasping the idea of making a transition OR you just overthink every decision and move in your life – below are a few scenarios that I’ve walked through multiple times to help you!!

Tips for Overcoming Job Search Paralysis

1. Trust the process, even if it feels “too easy”

Just because an interview process feels too smooth or easy, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Human nature often feels that in order for something to be worth it, you need to work for it, that it needs to be hard. REMEMBER – you’ve done the hard! You’ve done the sleepless nights to meet a deadline, missed important events, taken the extra courses to prepare you for this role and to set you up for success! It is OK if a process is “easy”!

2. The first offer could be the right offer

You don’t always need to interview at 10+ places to be able to actually know it’s right (sometimes you will, but it isn’t a must)! I always say – if:

a) Comp is in line;

b) You like the people you will be working with;

c) You like the company and function of the position… Then you can’t go wrong!

There will always be other opportunities out there that you will be passing on whether you interview at 1 or 15 companies. Make sure it is a good fit and dive in!

3. Leaving doesn’t need to be a dramatic event

When looking to leave, it feels like a huge cataclysmic event needs to occur to push you over the edge to look – management finally ticked you off enough, you worked way too many late nights and can’t take it anymore, your team is the worst, you got overlooked for a promotion…again, company didn’t make payroll – fill in the blank!

This doesn’t always need to be the case. Two things can be true:

1. You can work for an amazing company AND
2. It still can be time for you to transition to your next opportunity.

You can be grateful for the time you had and for what you learned to set you up for your next opportunity to continue to grow your career and make the leap!

Take the Leap: Embrace Your Career Growth

Don’t allow your fear of leaving override your desire to grow. If you’ve outgrown where you are currently, release the warmth of the comfortable to allow you to seize the opportunity to flourish and grow!! Where have you gotten hung up in making a decision about a job offer??

Reach out to Prospex Recruiting to help you navigate your search and help with the occasionally overwhelming decision-making process of making a job transition!! Head to our website to learn more about Prospex Recruiting and the services we offer.

HIRING MANAGERS: You are the ultimate decider on if an offer is extended, but you don’t hold all the cards—especially in a quick-moving candidate market! You need to impress the candidate as much as they need to impress you.

*See the original LinkedIn post here.

Top Tips for Hiring Managers

💥 Ensure Good Communication Throughout the Process
Clear and consistent communication is key to keeping candidates engaged.

💥 Be Present in Interviews
Pay attention during interviews. Put your email away, put your phone down, and show respect for their time.

💥 Encourage Genuine Dialogue
Create space for a conversation that flows naturally while still guiding it to gather the insights you need.

💥 Address Delays Promptly
If there’s a delay in the process, let the candidates know. Communication (worth the double mention) is crucial to making candidates feel valued and engaged!

💥 Streamline the Interview Process
Don’t overdo it with too many interviews. Have just enough to feel confident about extending an offer, but remember that excessive interviews can make candidates lose interest.

Why the Interview Process Matters

Candidates view the interview process as a reflection of how they will be treated as employees. They are evaluating you just as much as you are evaluating them. Hiring managers should be intentional and put their best foot forward throughout the process.

Share Your Insights

🌞 What is your best hiring tip?
🌞 What have you appreciated during an interview process from a candidate perspective?

Need Help? Prospex Recruiting Can Guide You

Feel free to reach out to our Prospex Recruiting team to refine your interview process or navigate one you’re currently managing. Head to our website to learn more about Prospex Recruiting and the services we provide.

CANDIDATES: You’ve applied for multiple jobs and finally get an interview… NOW WHAT?!

PREPARE. (This deserves all-caps energy).

*See the original LinkedIn post here.

Goals of an Interview

🧐 The goal of an interview: to see if this company is a good fit for you and to see if you are a good fit for the company and opportunity. The role needs to mesh on both sides. In order to have the MOST EFFECTIVE interview to assess this – do an effective prep!

Do Your Homework

🍂 At a minimum – KNOW WHAT THE COMPANY DOES! If you are spending half of your interview time going over what a basic Google search could tell you – you’re wasting everyone’s time.

🍂 Make sure you have good questions to ask about BOTH the company as well as the position. You are interviewing them as much as they are you!

🍂 Know what you are looking for in a position. Be intentional with your search! “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”

Prepare with Intention

🍂 Do a quick LinkedIn search on who you are interviewing with. Knowing their background can help you ask certain questions AND if you are looking for a mentor, this can be a huge selling point!

🍂 I usually don’t recommend asking about PTO, work/life balance flexibility, etc., in the first round. Use your questions about the role, company, and culture to decide if the opportunity is right, and then make sure that the balance is in line. If it gets brought up too soon, Hiring Managers can get turned off.

Be Genuine

🍂 Be genuine! If you are going to be working with these people for 8+ hours a day, make sure that you can vibe with them!

Contact Prospex Recruiting Today!

I can go on and on about effective prep! If you are interviewing, reach out to anyone on our Prospex Recruiting team to help you have a productive interview process! Head to our website to learn more about Prospex Recruiting and the services we offer.

What do you do to prep before an interview??