Brian Chesky ditched the résumés and took a page straight out of the Steve Jobs’s playbook
The moment Brian Chesky stopped scanning résumés for impressive titles and started hunting for proof of greatness, hiring at Airbnb changed forever. Crediting Steve Jobs’ philosophy, Chesky begins recruiting by seeking out work he admires, before tracking down the people behind it.
He then implements a simple, repeatable rhythm.
Step 1: You’ve found the person, now be upfront about the job’s expectations. Be clear about the results you need this person to deliver in 6, 12, and 24 months.
Step 2: Be a detective, study what products they’ve shipped, the work they’ve done, and the specific roles they played in making it happen.
Step 3: Get creative with your questions, you’ve got to keep digging. Never accept their first answer; keep questioning. You’ll learn more from their third answer than their first.
Step 4: Always recruit beyond headcount. You may only be in the market for one hire, but you should build a bench of the best talent before you “need” it so you can choose, not settle.
Step 5: Verify everything about them with rigorous references. Use references as evidence, not formality.
The best thing about all of the above? Chesky doesn’t leave the process for the HR to implement. He moves closer to the teams responsible. Skipping levels to maintain direct contact with 40–50 high-leverage people, co-making calls on hiring, promotions, and, when needed, exits.
He calls the larger posture “founder mode”. Less distance, more presence; fewer layers, more clarity. Allowing for faster communication between idea, decision, and launch, with fewer mixed messages. For Chesky, the answer was getting closer, not further away.
Do you believe CEOs serve their companies better in the details. or above them?
