TED Tuesday #17 – Regina Hartley: Why the best hire might not have the perfect resume

This TED video reminded me of a kind of awesome person, who happens to be a business partner of mine at CN&CO.

I remember when Carel first wanted to hire me. I was working and living in London. My job was exciting, glamorous, trendy and took me around the world. Carel wanted me to come and manage the brand of a new insurance company in Johannesburg…WTF? Insurance? Johannesburg? Really? Well, lets just say the man is persuasive, because two months later that’s exactly what I was doing. Best move of my life, it turns out.

Carel taught me many things. One was to really “see” people. Don’t judge them by their CVs or how high up the corporate ladder they have climbed. Hire people because your gut says they will be right and because they have passion, individuality and aren’t sheep. I remember him shouting a few profanities at me when I asked who I should send my CV to. “Christ woman! Do you think I flew to London to offer you a job because of what was written on a piece of paper?”

Watch this talk. It’s 10 minutes long. It’s interesting. It is delivered by a clever woman. And it reminds me of our friend Carel.