How SoulMatcher’s HR solution Transforms C-Level Executive Hiring

A Real-World Case from SoulMatcher HR Services and Expert Insights on Spotting Toxic Traits

Introduction

Hiring C-level executives isn’t just about finding candidates with exceptional résumés. Leaders who lack empathy—or worse, display psychopathic and narcissistic tendencies—can quietly derail organizational culture and productivity. To tackle this challenge, SoulMatcher HR Services has levereged SoulMatcher’s PSY ID (Psychological ID) to a new level, an AI-driven tool that screens for psychological accentuations and ensures better team compatibility. Below is a real case example illustrating how SoulMatcher HR made a measurable impact on one company’s hiring process—plus expert advice on how to spot (and avoid) hiring individuals with extreme narcissism or psychopathy.

Case Overview

Case Title: Assessment of Psychological Compatibility of a New Employee with the Current Team Using AI

Company: GetTransfer.com

Implementation Manager: Natalia Sergovantseva, Co-Founder, SoulMatcher

The Problem

When onboarding a new executive or team member, companies often face three major risks:

1. Mismatch in Capabilities

• The new hire may have psychological traits or hidden weaknesses that standard assessments miss, leading to long-term underperformance.

2. Team Incompatibility

• True psychological incompatibility—especially with a direct boss—may take 8 to 16 months to surface, costing up to 10+ monthly salaries in turnover expenses.

3. Low Engagement or “Quiet Firing”

• The employee retreats, offers minimal participation, and simply collects a paycheck—weakening team cohesion.

Core Solution with SoulMatcher HR (SM HR)

• Voice and Text Surveys: SM HR analyzed psychological accentuations (e.g., narcissism, borderline traits, empathy levels) by surveying 90 current employees and around 1,000 job applicants.

• AI-Driven Screening: SM HR’s results informed which applicants were likely to thrive in certain roles or departments based on their psychotype and compatibility scores.

• 360° Follow-Up: Thirty days after a new hire’s start date, SM HR conducted a comprehensive psychological assessment, providing the HR department with targeted recommendations.

Results: Before and After

• Before SMHR

• Candidate Funnel: HR teams processed around 1,000 candidates per month.

• HR Staffing: 6 HR professionals conducted group video interviews.

• Success Rate: About 40% of new hires effectively adapted to their teams.

• After SMHR

• Wider Funnel: The pool expanded to 3,000 candidates monthly.

• Streamlined Process: Only 50 applicants reached group interviews, handled by just 1 HR professional.

• Higher Onboarding Success: Adaptation rates rose to 60%.

• Reduced Costs: Recruitment expenses fell by a factor of 4; the HR department saved significant time and resources.

What Makes This Case Unique?

1. Innovative Approach: SoulMatcher Ai goes beyond skills and résumés to analyze psychological compatibility.

2. Massive Funnel Expansion: Tripling the candidate pool increased the odds of finding the perfect fit.

3. Efficiency Gains: Drastic cutback in the number of interviews allowed resources to be reallocated.

4. Stronger Team Integration: A 60% successful onboarding rate led to lower turnover and better productivity.

5. Long-Term Impact: By selecting candidates based on both psychological makeup and skill, the company fosters a healthier, more stable workplace culture.

Human to Human Practical Tips: Lowering Psychopathy and Narcissism Factors in C-Level Hires

Beyond AI tools like SMHR, companies can adopt expert-backed methods to avoid bringing high-risk individuals into the leadership suite.

1. Ask the Right Questions

“What’s the biggest thing you learned about yourself in that stressful or difficult time?”

• Sincere candidates usually demonstrate self-awareness, citing personal shortcomings or lessons.

• Psychopathic or narcissistic types often shift blame externally (“People can’t be trusted,” “Everyone else let me down”).

2. Adopt Elon Musk’s Method

Musk suggests asking candidates to describe the hardest problems they’ve solved and how they solved them.

• Dig Deeper: If someone truly solved a problem, they’ll recall specific details and can walk you through their process.

• Expose Fakers: Those who did not solve the problem generally get stuck at surface-level details.

3. Observe Nonverbal Cues

Experts note that genuine warmth and empathy often show up physically:

• Crow’s Feet and Forehead Lines: Frequent smiling and expressive communication tend to etch into the skin over time.

• Lack of Spontaneous Expressions: Psychopaths might “rehearse” facial cues, lacking the natural eyebrow flash or consistent smile lines.

• Caveat: A good cosmetic doctor might minimize wrinkles, so don’t rely solely on this clue!

4. Recognize “FOG” Tactics: Fear, Obligation, Guilt

Manipulative personalities often exploit these three emotions to control colleagues.

• Fear: “If you don’t do this, your job is at risk.”

• Obligation: “After all I’ve done for you, you owe me this.”

• Guilt: “It’s your fault if we miss our targets.”

Learning to spot these patterns is crucial in early interviews and day-to-day leadership interactions.

5. Understand Nature vs. Nurture

According to one FBI profiler:

“Genetics loads the gun, personality and psychology aim, and life experiences pull the trigger.”

Even with genetic predispositions, a lack of severe childhood trauma or stress may prevent some individuals from developing overt psychopathic traits. Still, therapy rarely “fixes” genuine psychopathy because it often teaches them to better manipulate—rather than develop real empathy.

6. Embrace Long-Term Monitoring

• Frequent Check-Ins: Rather than waiting 8–16 months to spot issues, use 30-day or 90-day psychological assessments (as demonstrated by SM HR).

• 360° Feedback: Encourage team members to share honest assessments about leaders’ communication styles and empathy.

A Final Word of Caution

Hiring for C-level roles is a high-stakes game. When red flags such as consistent blame-shifting, lack of self-reflection, or manipulative tactics surface, it’s often wiser to step away. Vigilance, combined with AI-driven assessments like SoulMatcher’s PSY ID, helps organizations build leadership teams that not only excel in their tasks but also foster positive, empathetic workplaces.

“The best defense,” one SoulMatcher’s expert advises, “is paying attention to what people say—and what they fail to say—and learning to read the subtle signals that reveal what’s really going on beneath the surface.”

About SoulMatcher HR Services

SoulMatcher HR Services specializes in AI-driven talent solutions that integrate psychological analysis into traditional recruitment processes. Through SoulMatcher HR (SM HR), companies gain deeper insights into candidate compatibility, dramatically cutting costs, enhancing team harmony, and raising success rates for new hires.

For more information, visit: SoulMatcher.app.