The Diary of a CEO founder says he hired a candidate with ‘zero’ experience — because of one gesture toward the security guard

Steven Bartlett, the founder and host of The Diary of a CEO podcast, took to LinkedIn to share a story about a recent hire that taught him an important lesson. What drew him to the candidate were not her impressive resume or skills, but her humility. In addition to her modesty, she had a ready-to-learn mindset throughout the entire interview process and proved herself capable. The post had 19,100 reactions, 960 comments, and 1,194 reposts.

Employee's character

Bartlett said that the woman's CV had only two lines, but the main reason he gave her the job was because of how she thanked the security guard by name. It showed the kind of character she possessed. Oftentimes, people don't bother with pleasantries when dealing with those whom they perceive as lower in status. What set her apart from the rest wasn't her resume, but her kindness. Bartlett further shared the kind of person she was: "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.'" After the interview, she went and self-taught herself the answer she didn't know, and emailed it to me within hours. She sent a thank-you note. To everyone after the interview." 

'Hire the hard thing'

Bartlett realized one thing while hiring the candidate. He shared, "Six months later? She's one of the best hires I had ever made. This is the lesson: hire the hard thing. By this, I mean hire the thing that's hardest to teach. 15 years of hiring has taught me that culture fit and character are much harder to hire than experience, skills, or education." What Bartlett is trying to say is that technical skills are easy to teach and learn, but genuine care about one's work, emotional intelligence, and ambition are harder things to come by.

How much 'experience' is enough?

CEOs of various companies are not looking for just people with an outstanding CV. Other human qualities play a huge role in securing the job, such as a person's ethics and integrity. The job market has always been competitive, but it is getting more difficult for entry-level candidates. In 2026, The Interview Guys analyzed 2,000 'entry-level' jobs on LinkedIn and found that 35% of such jobs are looking for people with relevant work experience. More than 60% of IT and software jobs require candidates with at least more than 3 years of experience. The 2023 Special Report: Candidate Expectations Versus Employer Realities showed that only 26% of North American candidates had a great candidate experience while applying for a job, while 61% had a neutral or a pretty good experience, and 13% reported they were less likely to apply again or refer others.

Hiring those who dropped out of school

Warren Buffett wrote in a 2025 letter to the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, "I never look at where a candidate has gone to school. Never! Of course, there are great managers who attended the most famous schools. But there are plenty, such as Pete, who may have benefited by attending a less prestigious institution or even not bothering to finish school." Several people in the comments agreed with Bartlett. Zain Aqmal wrote, "This taught me something important. Most hiring mistakes come from overvaluing resumes. What matters more is how someone thinks, learns, and treats people. Those things compound fast. Experience catches up. Character sets the ceiling." Billy Tea added, "The 'I know that' has a shelf life of about 6 months, but the 'Here's how I'd figure it out' is the only skill that appreciates in value."

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