Most companies say they want to hire great people. Taikun, the digital marketing agency founded by Collin Slattery, actually does it. Over the past 12 months, the agency grew from 6 to 18 employees—tripling its team—while maintaining an almost unheard-of standard: every new hire is someone who could easily be the best employee at almost any other company.
Other agency owners often ask Slattery how Taikun hires so well. His answer: it’s not magic. It’s a process. A disciplined, uncompromising one.
Below is the exact framework Taikun uses to consistently hire elite talent.
Step 1: Shift the Mindset—You’re Not Hiring, You’re Disqualifying
According to Slattery, most hiring problems start with the wrong mindset. Companies look for a good candidate. Taikun does the opposite: it aims to disqualify everyone except the right candidate.
Each role receives between 600 and 1,000 applicants, so the job description pulls no punches. It speaks openly about:
- Who Taikun is
- The above-market compensation and total flexibility offered
- The incredibly high expectations
The message is clear: great rewards, but only for those capable of meeting exceptional standards.
Step 2: The Questionnaire—Where 95% Get Cut
This is where the funnel tightens dramatically.
Taikun’s questionnaire isn’t a typical “years of experience” form. It asks about hobbies, motivation, personality, thought process—because, as Slattery puts it, “We’re hiring people, not resumes. Skills can be taught, character can’t.”
The disqualifiers are simple but strict:
- Low-effort answers → out
- Typos → out
- Copied responses → out
Taikun offers freedom, but most people can’t thrive without structure. The questionnaire reveals who shows effort, self-awareness, and discipline. Almost everyone fails this test.
Step 3: The Interview & Vibe Check
The first interview is all about culture and competence.
It’s less about rigid scripting and more about having a conversation—seeing whether there’s chemistry, alignment, and genuine understanding of the role. Technical questions ensure the candidate isn’t just smart, but capable. If the vibe is off, the process stops here.
Step 4: The Paid Skills Assessment
Unlike many companies, Taikun never asks for free work.
Candidates who reach this stage are paid for their time and expertise. This sets the tone for the relationship: mutual respect from day one.
The assessment evaluates:
- Effort
- Clarity
- Thought process
Usually, only 3 to 6 candidates reach this step. Sometimes fewer.
Step 5: The Final Interview—Testing Depth, Honesty, and Thinking
The last stage is a deeper dive into the candidate’s assessment.
Slattery’s team asks tough questions, often pushing candidates to defend or re-evaluate their own work. Two qualities matter immensely:
- The ability to admit when they’re wrong
- The ability to stand firm when they’re right
Even non-technical leaders join this stage because, at Taikun, the “vibe” is still a deciding factor.
The Final Rule: “If It’s Not a Hell Yes, It’s a No.”
There’s no settling. No compromise. No hiring out of desperation.
This standard is the reason Taikun has built a team where every employee is exceptional—and no one is there by accident.
Slattery’s approach is proof that elite hiring isn’t about luck. It’s about discipline, clarity, and the willingness to say no far more often than yes.
