The single biggest mistake we see is the tendency to take a “one-size-fits-all” approach. The result? You either waste time and money, or worse, you miss out on huge opportunities to build stronger teams.
At Rockstar we’ve built a simple approach to figure out the best process for various roles. Done right, you’ll spend the same (or less) time but make better hires & build higher-performance teams.
Why a 2x2 Framework?
We start by categorizing every role we hire for along two dimensions:
- Impact Volatility – How big is the gap in impact between “okay” vs “good” vs “great”? If upgrading from good to great could change the trajectory of the business, the stakes are high!
- Benchmark Clarity – How well do you know what "okay" vs "good" vs “great” looks like? If it’s a role you’ve hired for repeatedly, you probably have a clear intuition. Otherwise, you’ll be less sure.
Mapping a role across Impact Volatility and Benchmark Clarity helps you decide how to invest to get the highest payoff. The type of role implies a different approach across sourcing, evaluation, and comp/title. You’ll then have pre-built processes tailored to each quadrant, so you can move more quickly.
The Four Quadrants
1. High Impact Volatility, High Benchmark Clarity
Summary: You know exactly what skills or track record you need, and the difference between good and great is huge (e.g., a proven Head of Sales).
Approach:
- Sourcing: Start with inbound & outbound & ratchet up investment based on candidate quality
- Evaluation: Because benchmarks are clear, keep the interview process focused and efficient.
- Comp & Title: Establish a comp range but convey flexibility since a top performer is worth a premium.
2. High Impact Volatility, Low Benchmark Clarity
Summary: The right person can transform your business, but you’re still defining “great” (e.g., a leadership role outside your area of expertise).
Approach:
- Pre-Work: Talk to domain experts or mentors before finalizing requirements; involve them in the interview loop if possible.
- Sourcing: Cast a wide net to help define your bar and commit to a minimum time to hire
- Comp & Title: Don't commit to a range; instead gather data from candidates & use that to determine the initial offer
3. Low Impact Volatility, High Benchmark Clarity
Summary: The difference between average and great is narrower, and you know the role well (e.g., the third SDR on a team).
Approach:
- Sourcing: Start with inbound; only add other channels if inbound quality isn’t there. Measure success with numbers (e.g. dollars spent, time-to-hire).
- Evaluation: Short, standardized interviews and assessments. Keep it lean.
- Comp & Title: Advertise the comp range & don't go a dollar over.
4. Low Impact Volatility, Low Benchmark Clarity
Summary: Not a high-stakes role, but you lack a clear playbook (e.g., your first office manager).
Approach:
- Sourcing: Start with inbound but do some light outbound to triangulate inbound quality.
- Pre-Work: Chat with others who’ve hired or done this role to shape a basic skill bar.
- Comp & Title: Allow some range—your ultimate hire might expand the role’s scope.
From One-Size-Fits-All to High-ROI Hiring
For smaller organizations each incremental hire matters more. You can go wrong by doing too little or by doing too much. Through more thoughtfully mapping your investment against the type of need, you’ll build better teams for less.