PostEaseEvaluate strategy, not just a portfolio of finished posts
A polished post says a candidate can execute; it says little about whether they can identify what worked and why, or adapt a strategy based on real results. Ask a candidate to walk through the reasoning behind a specific past post rather than only showing it. That reveals far more about their skill.
Writing ability matters as much as visual sense
A caption or a hook is often what earns the engagement a post gets, not the visual alone. A candidate strong in design but weak in writing is a real gap worth testing for directly, not assuming away because the portfolio looks good.
Be specific about what "results" means before hiring
Agreeing in advance on what success looks like, meaning a specific metric tied to a real business outcome, avoids a common source of mismatched expectations later, where a new hire optimizes for follower count while the business needed leads or sales.