When hiring a new employee, most companies focus on a candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications. Resumes and past work history play a major role in determining whether someone is suitable for a position. However, Chris Hyams, the CEO of the job search platform Indeed, believes that these traditional methods do not always give the full picture of a person’s potential. Instead, he focuses on two simple but powerful questions during interviews—questions that reveal much more about a candidate’s curiosity, adaptability, and mindset.
Why These Two Questions Matter More Than a Resume
Chris Hyams has been leading Indeed as its CEO since 2019. He has interviewed many candidates over the years and has developed a unique approach to the hiring process. Unlike many executives, he does not spend much time looking at resumes before meeting potential employees. Instead, he prefers to engage with candidates directly and understand their personalities beyond just their professional achievements.
Hyams explains that, by the time a candidate reaches him for an interview, their skills and experience have already been reviewed by other managers within the company. This gives him the opportunity to go beyond technical qualifications and focus on more personal qualities.
“The more I do this, the less I’m looking for specific knowledge or experience,” Hyams says. “The most important thing is curiosity and adaptability, not necessarily what you’ve done.”
To assess these two qualities, Hyams asks all candidates the same two questions:
- “What are you insanely curious about?” Or, alternatively, “What do you care deeply about?”
- “Tell me a story about when you were really, really sure about something and found out you were completely wrong.”
These questions may seem unusual at first, but they reveal a lot about a person’s mindset, willingness to learn, and ability to grow from their experiences.
The Power of Curiosity
Hyams believes that curiosity is one of the most important traits a person can have. It shows a natural desire to explore, learn, and improve. Many companies prioritize hard skills—such as knowledge of specific software or technical expertise—but Hyams argues that an individual who is deeply curious will always find ways to acquire new skills and adapt to changing environments.
He is particularly interested in candidates who display passion and enthusiasm for a subject, even if it is not work-related.
“I’m actually more interested if it’s not a work-related thing,” Hyams says. “If you can spend 45 minutes talking about baking sourdough, and the 57 different recipes that you’ve tried, the experimentation with temperature and hydration… When people have that intense curiosity, it’s just a question of, what else can you fall in love with?”
By asking this question, Hyams aims to understand what excites a candidate and how they approach learning. A person who enjoys experimenting with recipes, for example, may also be someone who enjoys solving complex problems at work.
The Importance of Adaptability
In addition to curiosity, adaptability is another key quality that Hyams looks for in job candidates. The ability to adjust to new situations, learn from mistakes, and embrace change is essential in today’s fast-moving work environment.
The second question—asking candidates to recall a time when they were completely wrong—helps Hyams understand how they handle failure and uncertainty. He believes that those who can recognize and admit their mistakes are much easier to work with because they are open to learning and improvement.
“Anyone who’s never wrong, or anyone who will never admit they’re wrong, is going to be tough to work with. Because everyone’s wrong [at some point],” Hyams explains.
This perspective is shared by many successful business leaders. For example, Mark Cuban, the billionaire entrepreneur, and Jennifer Hyman, the CEO of Rent The Runway, both emphasize adaptability as one of the most valuable skills in the workplace—especially as technology, including artificial intelligence, continues to evolve.
Eliminating Bias in Hiring
Another unique aspect of Hyams’ interview process is his decision to avoid reviewing resumes before speaking with candidates. While most hiring managers carefully study a candidate’s work history, Hyams prefers to meet people without any preconceived notions.
“It’s really important for me to try to eliminate as many preconceived notions [beforehand] and just assess a person,” he says.
Hyams acknowledges that everyone has biases, whether they realize it or not. He admits that he himself has certain biases towards or against specific universities, degrees, or companies, simply because of past experiences. Even though he tries to be open-minded, these biases can still influence his judgment.
For example, if two candidates apply for the same position, and one of them has already held a similar job title, a hiring manager might unconsciously prefer that person—even if the other candidate has equal or greater potential.
Hyams believes that these biases make it harder for certain groups of people, including women, people of color, and individuals with disabilities, to advance in their careers. He emphasizes that companies must work harder to ensure fair hiring practices and equal opportunities for everyone.
“One of our core principles at Indeed is this idea that talent is universal, but opportunity is not,” he says.
A New Way to Approach Hiring
Hyams’ approach to hiring challenges the traditional ways companies evaluate candidates. Instead of focusing on past achievements, he looks at a person’s ability to learn, adapt, and grow. By asking unconventional questions, he gets a deeper understanding of a candidate’s personality and potential.
For job seekers, this means that preparing for an interview should go beyond just listing achievements on a resume. Demonstrating curiosity and adaptability can be just as important—if not more important—than having the perfect qualifications on paper.
