Culture & Workplace

4 Qualities of Breakthrough Employees

By Cecilia MeisPublished April 9, 20162 min read
4 Qualities of Breakthrough Employees
Listen to this article
2 min read

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 the editorial director for SUCCESS and a digital nomad. She writes about other digital nomads, solopreneurs and the future of work.

More Articles Like This

Setting Boundaries At Work: Empowering Your Professional Journey
Culture & Workplace

Setting Boundaries At Work: Empowering Your Professional Journey

Shelley Zalis, CEO of The Female Quotient, Discusses Equal Leadership & Closing the Gender Gap
Culture & Workplace

Shelley Zalis, CEO of The Female Quotient, Discusses Equal Leadership & Closing the Gender Gap

How to Create a Family-Friendly Work Environment as an Employer
Culture & Workplace

How to Create a Family-Friendly Work Environment as an Employer

Better Together: Working With People Across Different Generations
Culture & Workplace

Better Together: Working With People Across Different Generations

This AI Company Is Telling Employees to Work 80 Hours a Week or Find Another Job
Culture & Workplace

This AI Company Is Telling Employees to Work 80 Hours a Week or Find Another Job

Why Return-to-Office Mandates Aren’t the Productivity Boost Leaders Think They Are
Culture & Workplace

Why Return-to-Office Mandates Aren’t the Productivity Boost Leaders Think They Are