Diary of a CEO founder says he hired someone with ‘zero’ work experience because she ‘thanked the security guard by name’ before the interview

Job-seekers may believe that an Ivy League degree or Fortune 500 work experience will land them a gig—but who they thank while walking into an interview could be more important than their professional pedigree. Steven Bartlett, the founder and host of The Diary of a CEO podcast, took a chance on an applicant with a virtually blank CV for that very reason. “I hired someone who’s CV was two lines. Their experience was zero,” Bartlett explained in a Linked In post earlier this year. “Much of the reason why I gave her the job was because: She thanked the security guard by name on the way into the building.” She continued to prove herself during the hiring process in seemingly small ways too—and those acts of humility got her the job, not her credentials. “When she didn’t know something, in the interview she said ‘I don’t know that yet, but here’s how I’d figure it out,’” Bartlett explained. “After the interview she went and self-taught herself the answer she didn’t know, and emailed it to me within hours.” The founder took a chance on the experience-less candidate, and it didn’t take long to pay off; Bartlett said that six months later, she has proved herself as one of the best hires he’s ever made. “Fifteen years of hiring has taught me that culture fit and character is MUCH harder to hire than experience, skills or education.” Bartlett’s hiring philosophy is music to the ears of entry-level Gen Zers kickstarting their careers without full-time work on their resumes. What other CEOs have their own unique hiring philosophies? It has long been the rule of thumb that the candidate with the best degree, most work experience, and impressive credentials will come out of job interview rounds victorious. But with years of successful and failed hires under their belt, bosses are bucking the status quo and chasing talent with human skills, work ethic, and integrity. David Solomon, the CEO of Goldman Sachs, isn’t drawn to candidates with the hig