Chris Hyams, the CEO of Indeed, adopts an innovative strategy.
interviewing job candidates
, he says.
Usually, when an interviewee approaches him, their abilities and background have already been assessed by other key figures inside the organization, notes Hyams, who has served as the CEO ofIndeed.
since 2019
So now he has the chance to pose more offbeat, character-focused inquiries.
He remarks, ‘It’s amusing; as I continue doing this, I find myself seeking less specific knowledge or expertise.’ He emphasizes that ‘the crucial elements are curiosity and flexibility rather than your past experiences.’
Hyams investigates those two soft skills by asking these questions in every interview he conducts, he says:
- What piques your intense curiosity?” Alternatively, “What matters profoundly to you?
- “Tell me a story about when you were really, really sure about something and found out you were completely wrong.”
Your answers don’t necessarily need to be work-related. “I’m actually more interested if it’s not a work related thing,” says Hyams. “If you can spend 45 minutes talking about baking sourdough, and the 57 different recipes that you’ve tried, the experimentation with temperature and hydration …. When people have that intense curiosity … it’s just a question of, what else can you fall in love with?”
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Likewise, Hyams looks for staff members capable of adapting when their strategy or concept doesn’t work out, and then acknowledging their shortcomings afterwards. Various business executives, including the billionaire serial entrepreneur
Mark Cuban
To Rent the Runway Chief Executive Officer
Jennifer Hyman
Additionally, highlight flexibility as a sought-after professional attribute—particularly with artificial intelligence becoming more prevalent in work environments.
As per Hyams, working with someone who is always right or refuses to acknowledge their mistakes can be challenging because nobody is perfect and errors are inevitable.
The CEO ofIndeed adopts a more innovative approach to interviews: He usually refrains from reviewing applicants’ CVs prior to their conversation. His aim is to form an opinion about individuals without being influenced by their previous experiences upfront.
according to what they demonstrate to him
without allowing what was written on the sheet of paper to affect him.
I find it crucial to attempt eliminating as many preconceptions as possible beforehand and simply evaluate an individual…. Despite my desire to believe that I am both logical and receptive, I acknowledge that I possess biases. We all do,” Hyams states. “There are particular schools, degrees, and companies that trigger certain biases within me—biases of preference and aversion—that even with considerable effort, remain ingrained habits which I can only identify over time.
When interviewing candidates for the same position, being aware that one applicant holds an equivalent job title could inadvertently lead to bias towards that individual, as he points out. Such prejudices pose significant challenges for various demographics such as women, racial minorities, and individuals with disabilities trying to advance their careers within corporations, Hyams further explains.
He states that one of Indeed’s fundamental principles is the belief that talent is widespread, yet opportunities are unevenly distributed.
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