In a recent conversation with Phil Reese, Global Head of Talent at Klaviyo, he shared how Klaviyo approaches quality of hire as an evidence-based system – not a pursuit of perfect outcomes, but a disciplined commitment to getting the inputs right.
In his view, quality of hire shows up in many forms but is fundamentally grounded in data integrity, clear standards, and high-quality interview execution. Strong inputs create a foundation teams can rely on, both when making decisions and looking back to understand outcomes.
A central theme of the conversation was how structured interviews and scorecards raise the quality of interviewers themselves. By streamlining the feedback process and making it easier for interviewers to submit feedback, Klaviyo has seen faster scorecard completion rates, more useful context during debriefs, and stronger confidence in hiring decisions. Requiring completed scorecards before debriefs — and holding the line on extending offers without data — has reinforced integrity while also increasing hiring speed.
Phil emphasized that AI becomes truly valuable once there is strong data to model against. With reliable inputs in place, teams can use AI to pinpoint where candidates tend to drop off, uncover which interview states are not converting, and continuously refine both interview design and interviewer behavior. The opportunity is not just AI and automation, but learning from the data itself.
We also explored how Klaviyo is scaling interviewer coaching beyond recruiters to the full interviewing population. Today, coaching builds awareness and reinforces a culture of continuous improvement. Phil highlighted the impact of data-driven, non-hierarchical feedback — particularly interviewer conduct, such as listening more, talking less — which feels more approachable and actionable than traditional performance feedback.
From the business perspective, leaders are responding well to faster decision-making and increased rigor. As a deeply data-oriented company, Klaviyo has a strong appetite for deeper insights and is now asking what else can be unlocked from the data BrightHire provides, beyond experience and efficiency.
