Steven Bartlett Discusses an Important Hiring Insight from Recruiting an Inexperienced Candidate

Steven Bartlett, known for his daring business decisions, extends this philosophy to his recruitment approach. Bartlett, who founded and hosts 'The Diary of a CEO,' recently shared an experience on LinkedIn about a memorable hiring decision. He described one of his most successful hires as a person with only a scant resume and no prior job experience.

This particular candidate excelled in a cultural fit assessment that Bartlett requires of all potential hires at his companies. His enterprises, which include Flight Story and Thirdweb, operate within the realms of media and the digital creator economy.

During the interview process, when the candidate admitted to not knowing a response to a specific inquiry, she took it upon herself to learn the answer and promptly followed up via email to demonstrate her newfound understanding.

Bartlett also noted her thoughtfulness in small gestures, such as personally thanking the security staff by name and sending gratitude notes following her interview.

Fast forward six months, and Bartlett regards her as an exemplary staff member. His takeaway from this episode was the importance of hiring for intrinsic qualities that are difficult to instill, like drive and ambition, as opposed to easily teachable skills.

The Importance of Cultural Alignment

Reflecting on 15 years in recruitment, Bartlett has come to value character and cultural compatibility over traditional qualifications such as skills or educational background. This perspective is reinforced by his recent hire’s success.

Debating Interview Norms

The subject of post-interview thank-you notes, praised by Bartlett, has sparked online discussions. Some see the custom as outdated, especially in the context of today's remote job landscape. Opinions vary, with some considering these gestures insignificant, while others view them as indicative of candidate investment in the position.