Culture & Workplace

4 Qualities of Breakthrough Employees

By Cecilia MeisPublished April 9, 20162 min read
4 Qualities of Breakthrough Employees
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She was a nationally ranked college rower. Then she worked in the FBI. Now she is the co-founder of a $150 million tech company. You could say Joanna Riley doesn’t shy away from a challenge.

Related: The 5 Emotional Challenges You’ll Face as an Entrepreneur

In 2011 Riley co-founded 1-Page, a San Francisco-based recruiting company boasting clients such as Starbucks and Amazon. The company’s philosophy is to change how people get jobs.

“Using a résumé is very archaic,” she says. In lieu of CVs, applicants pitch how they would improve a potential employer’s company. The recruiting process focuses more on elements such as personality, skills and passion than experience and background.

Now the company’s focused on the other half of the equation with 1-Page Source, a platform that changes the way companies find in-demand talent.

Riley shares what to look for in potential candidates:

1. People who are smarter than you.

Then give them the resources and freedom to do what they were hired for.

2. People who aren’t afraid to speak their minds.

A successful company thrives on new ideas.

3. Problem solvers.

Give them a challenge in the interview and ask how they would solve it.

4. Disruptors.

Find a balance between industry experts and new thinkers to adapt the way your company solves problems.

Related: The Biggest Challenge You’ll Face as a Leader

 

This article appears in the May 2016 issue of SUCCESS magazine.

Cecilia Meis

Cecilia Meis

Cecilia Meis is a digital nomad. She writes about other digital nomads, solopreneurs and the future of work.

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