Close the hire. Detailed reference checks, not just the names they provided, but the peers, direct reports, and stakeholders who saw them up close. Negotiate the fit. Finalize the terms.

Then set up for Day 1 and beyond. Before starting, I create a post-placement onboarding guide for both sides. For the candidate: reference synthesis they've never heard (behavioral patterns, success factors, areas for focus) reframed as guidance, not evaluation. For the hiring manager: how this leader works best, where they'll need support, and quick-win opportunities.

Check-ins at Day 30, 60, 90, then quarterly through month twelve. An external advisor outside company politics.

This is why placements last and get promoted. The work doesn't end with the offer. It compounds.