U.S. Senate confirmation hearings, like those for President Trump’s cabinet nominees, offer a fascinating model for transparency, engagement, and alignment in the hiring process. These high-stakes, public interviews don’t merely assess the candidates’ qualifications; they also shed light on the priorities, expectations, and challenges tied to the roles in question. Imagine if senior leadership job interviews borrowed elements from this approach—a collaborative process that is accessible to everyone in the organisation, fostering two-way dialogue, and providing insight into organizational priorities. This would allow employees to understand their leaders’ goals, help candidates hit the ground running, and create a shared understanding of the role’s purpose and significance.

Watching U.S. Senate confirmation hearings for President Trump’s cabinet picks has been a surprising source of inspiration for me this month.  For those unfamiliar, Senate confirmation hearings are the public job interviews nominees undergo before being confirmed (or rejected) for key roles, like Secretary of Defense or CIA Director. Nominees answer questions from Senators, outlining their qualifications, priorities, and vision for the role they’ve been nominated for. But the process goes beyond assessing the nominee’s fit. The hearings reveal the scope of the position, the challenges it entails, and the priorities of those asking the questions.

What’s striking is the transparency. Anyone can tune in, even from across the world, to hear the questions asked and the answers given. Platforms like YouTube stream them unedited, giving viewers a raw, unfiltered experience.

I’ve learned a lot—I actually understand now what the Department of the Interior is responsible for, the broad remit of the Secretary of Transportation, and the concerns that weigh on the Secretary of State. I’ve developed a new respect for the vital role of things like water and bridges, and I find myself marvelling at the ability of some of these leaders to comprehend, remember, and navigate the intricate complexity of social arrangements and agreements that keep the world turning—far beyond the borders of the United States.

As I watch, I find myself thinking about The Apprentice, the reality TV series Trump famously created and hosted. The show offered a “fly on the wall” perspective of a job interview process, featuring a revolving door of candidates judged on their ability to perform challenging, often crowd-pleasing tasks that aligned with the CEO’s approval. Each week, a candidate was fired, and the final winner secured what was portrayed as a coveted position.

However, while The Apprentice offered a glimpse into the hiring process, it lacked depth. Viewers had no real grasp of what the role entailed, how it aligned with the organization’s broader goals, or how the candidates’ skills might translate into tangible organizational changes.

Watching these Senate hearings evokes the same voyeuristic fascination as The Apprentice, but with far greater depth and purpose. They provide not just entertainment but also insight, education, and inspiration. Through the structured and transparent enactment of the process, they actively create shared meaning. The hearings offer a rich exchange of information and context, allowing stakeholders—and even the public—to understand the complexities of the role, the challenges it presents, and the broader priorities at play.

So now I’m thinking—why can’t regular job interviews do more heavy lifting for the organization? Instead of the usual behind-closed-doors process, which often extracts shallow, contextless responses to hypotheticals, constrained by a rigid, characterless format in a small boardroom, why can’t hiring become an event? Why not transform the process into an opportunity for realignment—a chance to foster engagement, clarify priorities, and create shared understanding across the organization? Whether that person is hired or not.

Here’s what might happen:

1. Leadership Articulates Their Goals and Priorities

In Senate confirmation hearings, the questions and discussions reveal what the Senators value, the initiatives they are championing, and their criteria for success in the role. These hearings are not just about evaluating the nominees’ qualifications—they are equally a platform for Senators to articulate their vision for the United States and the priorities they believe should shape that office.

If job interviews adopted an open-access, extended-panel approach, managers and department heads could use the platform to present their priorities, key projects, and challenges. This would be achieved through the questions they posed and the ensuing discussions—all of which could be observed by the rest of the management team, as well as the wider staff and stakeholders with access to the proceedings. This transparency would transform the hiring process into a shared organizational moment, fostering alignment and engagement at multiple levels.

It would create an opportunity for the senior team to realign—opening up communication, resetting expectations, and rekindling a shared sense of purpose. It also reduces the risk of miscommunication or conflicting priorities while fostering collaboration and driving collective focus.  

2. The Candidate is tested with real issues in a high-pressure environment

One of the most compelling aspects of Senate confirmation hearings is the rigor of the questioning. Candidates are pushed to address real, complex issues in front of a live audience, demonstrating their expertise, vision, and composure under pressure. They are expected to be thoroughly prepared, having often met with Senators individually beforehand to gain insight into the most pressing issues and concerns. This level of scrutiny ensures that candidates are not only knowledgeable but also capable of navigating high-stakes situations with confidence.

In an open job interview, candidates would gain firsthand insight into the initiatives they would be expected to lead, the obstacles they might encounter, and the opportunities available to them. Rather than relying on generic questions about strengths and weaknesses, this approach would immerse candidates in the organization’s actual priorities, projects, and challenges.

The academic literature supports this approach, with York and Wharton (2024) demonstrating that giving candidates a Realistic Job Preview (RJP) builds trust, reduces turnover, and aligns expectations from the start.

This not only makes the evaluation process more meaningful but also sets a high standard for the role. It highlights the candidate’s ability to think critically under pressure and engage in meaningful dialogue about real issues facing the company. These conversations could even advance the organization’s thinking, regardless of whether the candidate is ultimately hired. By incorporating this format, the hiring process becomes an opportunity to introduce fresh perspectives and new voices to tackle critical challenges, enriching organizational strategy and fostering innovation.

3. The Candidate Hits the Ground Running

Senate hearings don’t just test candidates—they prepare them. By the time a nominee is confirmed, they have addressed key priorities, articulated their vision, and outlined their plans in front of stakeholders. This process ensures that, if confirmed, they are equipped with a clear mandate and ready to begin tackling the issues immediately, with a shared understanding of the role’s expectations and objectives.

I find myself feeling a sense of secondhand excitement—and not a little envy—as I listen to some of these hearings. The discussions about new projects and commitments are inspiring: Will you work with us on this? We’ll be expecting you to help us with that. We look forward to hearing your ideas on this.

An open job interview would likely occur as a second or third step in the hiring process, when the focus shifts from initial evaluation to a collaborative conversation about fit and expectations. At this stage, both the organization and the candidate would work together to develop a shared understanding of the terms of the role.

By incorporating this level of transparency and alignment, new hires would begin their roles with a clear grasp of their responsibilities and priorities. They would know which projects they’d lead, what success looks like, and how their contributions connect to the organization’s broader goals. This approach ensures that they’re not starting from scratch but are instead equipped to hit the ground running with confidence and clarity.

Employees Gain Insight into Current Priorities and Challenges

Much like Senate confirmation hearings reveal key issues to the electorate about their government and their country, an open interview would provide employees with valuable insight into the priorities and concerns of their senior leaders.

When these interviews are accessible—say, via live streaming or company-wide broadcasts—employees have the opportunity to see how leaders across departments align (or differ) in their perspectives. By listening to why a particular project matters or how leadership intends to address upcoming obstacles, employees gain a clearer understanding of the broader strategic vision. This insight naturally fosters transparency around decision-making and, in turn, can strengthen trust within the organization.

As Reynolds and Lander (2024) demonstrate, when employees see authentic engagement and consistent messaging from their leaders, multi-level trust is more likely to flourish. It’s not simply about whether a candidate’s responses impress the hiring panel; it’s also about the panel itself demonstrating unity, clarity, and openness in its questioning. This dual focus helps employees feel connected to the direction senior leadership is setting, reinforcing a sense of shared purpose and commitment well before any candidate officially joins the team.

Employees don’t just see who is being hired—they come to understand why the role matters and how it connects to the bigger picture.

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While the Founders would likely never have envisioned such a public forum for the “advice and consent” process, they would probably have approved of its role in fostering accountability and unity. Of course, this approach wouldn’t work for every role and might not always be practical. However, in certain cases—particularly in complex organizations where a shared vision and coordinated effort are critical—making job interviews more transparent and collaborative could be transformative. By fostering trust, engagement, and alignment, this method has the potential to create stronger connections between leaders, employees, and organizational goals.

References

• York, K. M., & Wharton, T. J. (2024). You Want Me to Do What in This Job? An Experiential Exercise in Understanding the Usefulness of Realistic Job Previews for Recruitment and Retention. Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management, 24(1), 69-76.
• Reynolds, N. S., & Lander, M. W. (2024). From Building and Preserving to Eroding Trust: A Multi-level Analysis. Group & Organization Management, 49(4), 1012-1044.