Jobs-to-be-Done Hiring
by Bob Moesta • Co-founder and CEO at The Rewired Group
Co-creator of the Jobs to Be Done Framework alongside Clay Christensen, founder of eight companies, and adjunct lecturer at the Kellogg School of Management.
🎙️ Episode Context
Bob Moesta demystifies the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework, shifting the focus from product features to the 'struggling moments' that cause customers to hire products. He details the 'Forces of Progress' that drive behavior change, the six-stage timeline of buying (and hiring), and advanced interviewing techniques to uncover hidden causality. The conversation applies these principles to product innovation, sales, and career development, emphasizing that people don't buy products—they hire them to make progress under specific contexts.
Problem It Solves
Aligns the recruiting/sales process with the candidate's actual decision-making readiness.
Framework Overview
This methodology treats hiring (and being hired) as a purchasing process involving a distinct timeline of behavioral change. It moves beyond 'pain and gain' to map the six phases a candidate goes through before, during, and after accepting a role.
📅 Framework Timeline
Hiring is a timeline, not an event.
Candidates (and buyers) move from 'Fi...
You must meet the candidate where the...
When to Use
When designing a recruitment pipeline or a sales cycle to increase conversion rates.
Common Mistakes
Trying to 'close' a candidate who is still in the 'Passive Looking' phase and only wants to learn.
Real World Example
Intercom adjusting their sales process to offer different demos based on whether a customer was 'Passive Looking' (education) vs 'Deciding' (trade-offs).
The buying process literally has different phases... First thought, passive looking, active looking, deciding, first use, and ongoing use.
— Bob Moesta