Ex-Google Exec Unveils the Key Interview Question: Understanding Your Life Before the Resume

When Jennifer Dulski is hiring, she has a clear idea of what she needs.

The Chief Executive Officer and founder of Rising Team The company specializing in team development programs has previously held leadership roles at major corporations such as Google and Facebook. Whenever she adds a new person to her team, she prioritizes finding individuals who exhibit flexibility, resilience when faced with challenges, along with being creative and driven.

To ensure a candidate has these attributes, she doesn’t solely inquire about their professional achievements. “Initially, I have them share stories from their life prior to their resume,” she explains.

Here's why.

I observe those patterns in individuals' formative years.

For Dulski, evidence that candidates possess the type of qualities she seeks stems more from their personal traits than their professional ones.

She points out individuals who exhibit ambition, creativity, adaptability, and resilience in overcoming challenges," she explains, adding that these traits often become evident during one’s formative years." For instance, she seeks narratives of children launching small businesses through activities like setting up lemonade stands or designing t-shirt sales. When speaking with engineers, she may probe for anecdotes involving disassembling toys and gadgets just to understand their inner workings and then successfully assembling them again.

With that innate motivation and hard work, it's evident that when individuals exhibit such dedication in their personal lives, they tend to bring the same commitment to their professional environment, as per her statement.

'Share with me about your experiences before your career history.'

Some people will automatically tell Dulski about their passions and successes early in life even before she asks. Good salespeople usually do, she says.

However, for those individuals, she offers a single straightforward question: “Share with me what your life was like before your resume,” she states.

She asks how they became the person reflected on paper and encourages them to share only as much as they feel at ease with," she explains. This usually leads to stories that help her discern the qualities the candidate possesses.

Looking to increase your earnings at work? Enroll in GudangMovies21's latest online class now. Ways to Secure a Raised Salary Skilled mentors will equip you with the abilities required to secure a higher salary. This includes learning how to ready yourself and boost your self-assurance, understanding what actions to take and which words to speak, as well as mastering the art of presenting a counterproposal. Begin now and apply the promo code EARLYBIRD to enjoy a fifty percent discount until November 26, 2024.

Plus, sign up for GudangMovies21Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.