This talk explores how hiring is shifting from experience-based screening to potential-based assessment. Traditional methods prioritized brand-name universities and past employers, which introduced bias and limited diversity. COVID accelerated remote work and diversity goals, pushing recruiters to adopt skills-based hiring. However, with the rise of AI and the rapid obsolescence of skills, assessing potential has become essential.
The speaker, a former venture capitalist turned recruiter, shares her approach to identifying high-potential candidates. She looks beyond résumés to evaluate personality traits, technical excellence, and passion for the craft. Her framework for identifying potential is GRIT: Goal focus, Resilience, Integrity, and Thoughtful communication.
She emphasizes that employers must also play a role in nurturing potential. Candidates should demonstrate their traits through real examples, showcase their technical work publicly (e.g., LinkedIn or portfolios), and build trust with interviewers by aligning on shared experiences or values.
In today’s fast-changing work environment, adaptability, curiosity, and emotional intelligence are more predictive of long-term success than past achievements. Companies and candidates alike must rethink how they define “qualified.”
