When it comes to business, few names are as synonymous with earning the big bucks as Jeff Bezos.
With a staggering net worth of $168.2 billion (£133.7), Bezos, the mastermind behind Amazon, has become something of a household name.
While his wealth has been the subject of countless news reports and online tittle-tattle, you can’t deny his ability to build a company from the ground up.
Since starting Amazon as an online bookstore in 1994 to growing it to the massive behemoth it is today, it's hard not to want to know how he’s been able to get to where he is today. While he's no longer the company's CEO, he's still the executive chairman of the board.
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Well, a lot of his success can be attributed to the people around him. The major success of any business is never down to just one person. So what's the secret sauce behind Bezos’s hiring strategy? And how does he recruit the best of the best?
According to Inc, the key lies in three simple, yet profound questions that Bezos asks himself before hiring anyone. These queries aren't just a routine checklist - they're a window into Bezos' approach to team building and leadership.
Question one: 'Will you admire this person?'
First off, Bezos reportedly considers whether he would admire the person he's about to hire. In the high-stakes world of Amazon, it's not enough to just fill a position. Bezos looks for individuals who bring something to the table that he can respect and look up to.
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The quest for admiration in a candidate is more than a search for skill; it's a pursuit of inspiration and a desire to create a company culture that thrives on mutual respect and continual growth.
Question two: 'Will this person raise the average level of effectiveness of the group they're entering?'
The second question Inc suggests Bezos ponders over is whether the potential hire will raise the average level of effectiveness of the group they're joining. It's a testament to his relentless pursuit of productivity and excellence.
Amazon's reputation for reliable and quick delivery of goods didn't just appear out of thin air - it was built on the back of pushing employees to the next level. Bezos' approach here is not merely about improving productivity but constantly elevating the team as a whole.
Question three: 'Along what dimension might this person be a superstar?'
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The real strength of Bezos' approach shines through in the third and final question he asks himself: wondering in what capacity a candidate could be a superstar.
He doesn't just consider what the potential hire can do in their current role - he looks deeper to see if the interviewee has a hidden talent that makes them a cut above.
Bezos’ strategy in identifying which employees will be the most valuable in the next five or 10 years is what has helped him build a team of skilled staff who work together seamlessly. And has proved it’s pretty important when it comes to creating a successful and dynamic workforce.
Clearly, Bezos’ hiring strategy isn’t something of the norm. And it proves that asking these questions doesn't just lead to good hires - they can lay the foundation for an empire.