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Foolproof Hiring: Powerful, Proven Keys to Hiring HIGH Performers Kindle Edition

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 61 ratings

In their book Foolproof Hiring, business leaders and hiring experts Brad Smart and Chris Mursau give readers an easy-to-follow instruction course in Topgrading. This nationally - known and time-tested hiring methodology has been a proven winner in finding A players for thousands of businesses for more than thirty years.

Smart and Mursau distill the key tenets of Topgrading -- a systematic and comprehensive process – into simple explanations of the most common hiring problems. Then they offer clear and practical solutions to each problem. Deploying an effective mix of narrative, anecdotes, third-party research and more, the authors bring real-life hiring scenarios into sharp focus while offering a clear path for hiring managers to jump-start their efforts to find and hire more high performers.

Any hiring manager – not just HR managers – can benefit from the tools and processes in
Foolproof Hiring. It’s your key to streamlining your hiring so that you’re seeing fewer but better candidates so you can pack your team with A players. That’s a formula that’s better for you, your career, and your organization. Why settle for mediocre hiring methods when you can leverage the knowledge and experience of proven results in the world of finding and hiring top talent.

From the Publisher

human resources, hiring
human resources, hiring
human resources, hiring

human resources, hiring, Brad Smart

Brad Smart

Dr. Brad Smart, the CEO of Topgrading, has often been described as one of the world’s leading experts on hiring. Brad has written seven books on hiring, including Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Amazon best sellers.

human resources, hiring

Foolproof Hiring

In their book Foolproof Hiring, business leaders and hiring experts Brad Smart and Chris Mursau give readers an easy-to-follow instruction course in Topgrading. This nationally-known and time-tested hiring methodology has been a proven winner in finding A players for thousands of businesses for more than thirty years.

human resources, hiring

Chris Mursau

Chris Mursau joined Brad in 2000, rose to VP and EVP, and since 2018 has served as President of Topgrading, Inc. Chris directs Topgrading professionals who provide three services: (1) assessing candidates for senior positions, (2) conducting virtual and in-person training of all managers in Topgrading methods, and (3) advising companies on how to roll out Topgrading.

hiring, organizational change

Editorial Reviews

Review

“I’ll tell you straight up―Foolproof Hiring is by far the best book I’ve seen on how to fill your organization with high performers. It’s tight, compelling, and research based. You get surprising statistics, captivating stories from Brad and Chris’ decades of professional experience, plus a piercing look into the why and how-to of Topgrading. The book is absolutely crammed with the mechanics for epic improvements in how you hire people. This is how you build a 5-star organization!”
PRICE PRITCHETT
CEO, Pritchett, LP


“Research shows that most of the people hired in companies are mis-hired, typically costing your company hundreds of thousands, to millions of dollars for each mis-hire.
Foolproof Hiring gives you tools and questions to start hiring a lot more superstar A-Players (and keep that money to add to the bottom line!).”
EBEN PAGAN
Founder, Go Meta Media; Investor;
Author, Opportunity: How to Win in Business and Create a Life You Love



Foolproof Hiring is the easy-to-read and understand reference guide to Topgrading that CEOs have been clamoring for! Hiring A-Players is one of the fastest ways to increase your company’s profits, and the success and happiness of your existing team. Our company has been using Topgrading, combined with precise rifle-shot recruiting, for the last decade to help our Scaling Up clients achieve a greater than 90 percent A-Player hiring success rate. By following the advice in Foolproof Hiring and adopting the Topgrading methodology, you can achieve similar results.”
RICK CROSSLAND
President, A Player Advantage, LLC


“In order to have the right people doing the right things the right way, we first must hire and onboard well. In
Foolproof Hiring, Brad and Chris detail the five major hiring problems we’re all faced with today, and then provide a practical, easy to implement set of solutions and tools to solve these problems and ensure you consistently hire more A-Players, more often. It’s a must-read for any leader wanting to build a high-performing team.”
BRAD GILES
Author, Onboarded: How to Bring New Hires to the Point Where They are Effective, Faster


“An excellent and timeless resource for CEOs and other leaders of high growth, middle market companies. Getting our people right is critical but not easy.
Foolproof Hiring has proven tools to significantly improve your hiring effectiveness, and overall approach to managing your talent more strategically.”
ETHAN MARTIN
President and head coach, PFD Group, Inc.


Foolproof Hiring is a terrific new book and makes it extremely easy for CEOs and all managers to “test drive” Topgrading. It’s like driving a Ferrari for an hour; it doesn’t make you an expert, but you just know this is better than an average commuter car. As an Advisor & Coach to CEOs of fast-growing companies, I always recommend Topgrading because when you hire high performers, everything else gets easier.”
KEVIN LAWRENCE
CEO, Lawrence & Company Growth Advisors;
Author, Your Oxygen Mask First;
Key contributor, Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make it… and Why the Rest Don’t



“Topgrading is the foundation of our hiring practices at Advantage Media. Brad Smart and Chris Mursau’s new book,
Foolproof Hiring, brilliantly encapsulates the key concepts that can put your company on the fast-track to hiring and retaining A-Players.”
ADAM WITTY
Founder and CEO, Advantage Media


“Hiring is inevitably imperfect, because human judgments are fallible. But it’s our conviction at Avenues that Topgrading is the best approach there is for making high-impact hires at all levels, but particularly at senior levels where bad hires are extremely costly. This book gives a clear, accessible explanation of Topgrading while addressing common concerns and misconceptions about hiring practices. Every leader concerned about improving hiring results should read it and try out its recommendations.”
DIEGO MERINO
Global Director of Recruitment, Avenues: The World School


Foolproof Hiring gives anyone who needs to fill an open position the tools they need to fill the job with an A Player. Not only do you dramatically increase the chance of hiring the right person, Foolproof Hiring shows you how to do it as efficiently as possible.”
GEOFF WOODS
Chief Growth Officer, Jindal Steel & Power


“Brad Smart and Chris Mursau are back with ‘
Foolproof Hiring’, an invaluable resource in leveraging Topgrading concepts that produce the best possible hiring results! If you read ‘Topgrading’ and employ those concepts in hiring, you’ll love ‘Foolproof Hiring’ as a back to basics follow-up; If not, it’s a must read to provide the right tools in hiring ‘A’ Players.”
GEORGE RABLE
Chief Culture & People Officer, Benco Dental


“Brad & Chris nailed it as “first aid for your hiring ailments”. This is a fantastic book to use as your initial learning about Topgrading or as a boost of learning if you have already been using some of the methods. In particular, the chapter on Applicant Screening Tools was very helpful and we are implementing two of the ideas immediately.”
KEVIN RHODES
CEO & Founder, Fragrance Manufacturing Inc


“At Scaling Up we’ve coached thousands of entrepreneurs on best practices, and Topgrading has always been one of our pillars. With A Players on their team, all the other Scaling Up methods work better.
Foolproof Hiring is perfect―a quick read busy CEOs can absorb in a couple of hours and implement right away, to avoid bad hires.”
VERNE HARNISH
Founder, Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO);
Author Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0)



“Topgrading has definitely made two companies I’ve run more profitable. Nothing has been more important for my career success. Really ―at least half my career success is attributable to Topgrading and Brad Smart’s counsel.”
SCOTT CLAWSON
CEO, Culligan Water

From the Back Cover

**Greatness Starts with Hiring the Right People. **

WHEN YOU GET HIRING RIGHT–bringing A Players into the organization and giving them the freedom they need–you set yourself up to succeed. Then why do so many hiring managers get it so wrong so often?

It’s because they take the easy way out: gather a bunch of résumés, find what looks like a decent match, ask the same uninspired questions, and hope for the best, which statistically turns out to be a mis-hire about half the time.

The good news is there is a better way. One that can help you uncover dishonesty by applicants, overcome a lack of sufficient information about who candidates really are, and verify the facts you need to make effective hiring decisions. It’s Topgrading, the breakthrough hiring method pioneered by Brad Smart.

Now, Smart and his coauthor, Chris Mursau, share the key elements of the Topgrading system distilled into an easy-to-read guidebook. They identify the most vexing hiring problems and deliver clear, practical solutions.

What would hiring 75, 80, or even 90 percent high performers do for you, your career, and your organization? Let Foolproof Hiring show you the most proven keys to successful hiring.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BX1JS3TK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Forbes Books (April 25, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 25, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2915 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 184 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 61 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
61 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's advice and explanations clear and easy to follow. They appreciate the systematic and comprehensive approach to hiring that consistently works. The book helps managers find and retain top talent, regardless of their role.

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11 customers mention "Advice"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's advice helpful and understandable. The guidance and explanations are clear, providing a systematic and comprehensive approach to hiring. They appreciate the clear roadmap to identify, attract, and select high-quality talent. There isn't a lot of technical jargon, making it easy to follow and pull together.

"...With the tools provided in the book, hiring managers can streamline their hiring process, attract better candidates, and build teams of top talent,..." Read more

"...Their semantics, narratives, and research put scripts into perspective, showing a new, different, and better way for employers to hire high-..." Read more

"...Readers are presented with a clear roadmap to identify, attract, and select high performers who will have a significant impact on their organizations..." Read more

"...What I loved about this book was the chapter summary at the end of each chapter; you could quickly read through it to get an idea of the book...." Read more

9 customers mention "Talent retention"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for finding and hiring high-performing employees. They say it helps managers identify, attract, and retain top talent. The book is an excellent resource for both employers and employees. It's especially useful for small businesses.

"This is a great resource for big and small companies to use. I have been reluctant to share Topgrading with my smaller clients...." Read more

"...book, hiring managers can streamline their hiring process, attract better candidates, and build teams of top talent, leading to greater success for..." Read more

"Foolproof Hiring: Powerful, Proven Keys To Hiring HIGH Performers, by Brad Smart and Chris Mursau, is a nonfiction easy-to-follow guide in Toptrading..." Read more

"...are presented with a clear roadmap to identify, attract, and select high performers who will have a significant impact on their organizations...." Read more

3 customers mention "Power"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's tips powerful.

"Foolproof Hiring: Powerful, Proven Keys To Hiring HIGH Performers, by Brad Smart and Chris Mursau, is a nonfiction easy-to-follow guide in Toptrading..." Read more

"Foolproof Hiring: Powerful, Proven Keys To Hiring HIGH Performers by Brad Smart and Chris Mursau is a great book which covers the strategy of..." Read more

"The book "Foolproof Hiring: Powerful, Proven Keys to Hiring HIGH Performers" by the authors Brad Smart and Chris Mursau provides readers with a..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2024
    This is a great resource for big and small companies to use. I have been reluctant to share Topgrading with my smaller clients.With this simpler version I will be sharing this book with all my clients.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2023
    In their book "Foolproof Hiring," Brad Smart and Chris Mursau introduce readers to Topgrading, a successful hiring methodology used by thousands of businesses for over thirty years. The authors simplify the key principles of Topgrading and offer practical solutions to common hiring problems. Through real-life scenarios and research, they guide hiring managers in finding and hiring high performers, regardless of their role. With the tools provided in the book, hiring managers can streamline their hiring process, attract better candidates, and build teams of top talent, leading to greater success for themselves and their organizations. I enjoyed that each chapter of this book contained a little summary, allowing you to see a glimpse of what you were getting into before it was broken down into each detailed chapter. However, this is ultimately what works for one company and may not be the best for every single situation. However, they do offer good advice that you can take and use as your own or modify as you need.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2023
    Foolproof Hiring: Powerful, Proven Keys To Hiring HIGH Performers, by Brad Smart and Chris Mursau, is a nonfiction easy-to-follow guide in Toptrading. A time-tested hiring method that has been a winning operation for more than thirty years. Smart and Mursau explain the common problems when it comes to hiring employees. Then, they offer solutions to each problem. Their semantics, narratives, and research put scripts into perspective, showing a new, different, and better way for employers to hire high-performing employees. HR, and any company’s manager, could benefit from Foolproof Hiring.
    Smart and Mursau write this book in an easy-to-read style. Foolproof Hiring gives valuable information to help make the right decisions and hire the most productive people. They truly help build successful business teams.

    Foolproof Hiring: Powerful, Proven Keys To Hiring HIGH Performers, by Brad Smart and Chris Mursau, easily earns a five-star if not ten-star rating. The book is helpful beyond words.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2023
    Foolproof Hiring by Brad Smart and Chris Mursau is an exceptional guidebook that equips hiring managers with powerful strategies to attract and retain top talent. Drawing from their extensive experience and expertise in the field, Smart and Mursau introduce readers to the time-tested Topgrading methodology—a systematic and comprehensive approach to hiring that has consistently delivered A players for businesses over the past three decades.

    The authors skillfully distill the core principles of Topgrading into accessible insights, addressing common hiring challenges and providing practical solutions. By combining narrative storytelling, real-life scenarios, and compelling third-party research, Smart and Mursau bring the hiring process into sharp focus. Readers are presented with a clear roadmap to identify, attract, and select high performers who will have a significant impact on their organizations. Highly recommended.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2023
    Rating: 4 1/2 to 5 stars
    This book discusses the hiring method of one company that many human resources employees use when hiring and onboarding new employees; is it the best method out there?

    Using the idea that the best employees are proactive, this method suggests using a multi-tiered approach to find and create the best employee hired at your company. The book indicates a soon-to-be-hired employee will arrange reference calls based on the information about being onboarded.

    What I loved about this book was the chapter summary at the end of each chapter; you could quickly read through it to get an idea of the book.

    I did not love the suggestion that people don't tell the truth about their situation; even though I know that people do this, reading it in a book about being newly hired is depressing.

    But it suggests you are a new hire if the new employer thinks you are worth the risk.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2023
    I was so pleasantly surprised by this book’s witty and fast-paced writing style. This is the complete opposite of all those stodgy, dry, boring business books!

    Along with the conversational and well-written text, there are also exercises and links to additional reading that help to create a dynamic and information-filled how-to guide.

    Reading this book helped me to see why so many jobs are going unfulfilled or under-fulfilled right now - especially for smaller companies who don’t take the extra time to create job notices that attract the right candidates. A lot of the steps seem like common sense, but do require going the extra mile to be sure you, as the interviewer, are completely prepared so that you end up with the best candidates. The book did a great job of pointing out exactly how valuable that extra effort can be to a business.

    The chapter summaries were also a great addition for those of us who tend to skim when reading!!

    This book is a great step by step guide for more effective hiring.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2023
    Foolproof Hiring: Powerful, Proven Keys To Hiring HIGH Performers by Brad Smart and Chris Mursau is a great book which covers the strategy of TOPGRADING. This system allows a business or hiring team to find the most highly qualified candidates quickly and easily which makes their organization as strong as possible. The authors have done a great job of breaking the strategy down so that it is easy to understand and implement. There is not a lot of technical jargon which makes this easy to follow and easy to pull the most important points from. What is best about the strategy they describe is that it can be used in any field to find the best applicants.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Kevin
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book - simpler perspective on Topgrading
    Reviewed in Canada on May 3, 2023
    Foolproof Hiring is a terrific new book and makes it extremely easy for CEOs and all managers to “test drive” Topgrading. It’s like driving a Ferrari for an hour; it doesn’t make you an expert, but you just know this is better than an average commuter car. As an Advisor & Coach to CEOs of fast-growing companies, I always recommend Topgrading because when you hire high performers, everything else gets easier.”

    Kevin Lawrence, CEO, Lawrence & Company Growth Advisors
    Author of Your Oxygen Mask First, and key contributor to Scaling Up
  • GMc
    2.0 out of 5 stars This did not meet my expectations for information.
    Reviewed in Canada on October 17, 2023
    Very simple information but not real strong details about the actual theory's they were presenting, disappointing for the cost i had bigger expectations. Charts were almost to small to read, poor quality. They talked about the secret process's but didn't tell you what and how it worked, not details.

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