CEO Uses A ‘Vibe Test’ In Job Interviews And Avoids Hiring Candidates Who Fail
Dmytro Zinkevych | ShutterstockMost people walk into job interviews thinking their experience and skills will be the factors that determine whether they qualify for the position. Of course, charisma and personality matter as well, but it's usually secondary.
Not for the CEO of United Airlines, however. He admitted that the one thing he looks for in candidates is the "vibe" they will bring to the company. In fact, he makes it the most important part of the job interview. If he doesn't think a candidate will fit with the rest of his team, he will not hire them.
CEO of United Airlines, Scott Kirby, uses a 'vibe test' in job interviews and avoids hiring candidates who fail.
Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines, implemented a rather unusual test to find the right match for a company hire. When a candidate is selected for an interview with Kirby, part of whether they are actually considered for the role depends on whether they'd be good company, quite literally.
In an interview with McKinsey and Company, Kirby said, "I asked our head of flight operations to select a dozen of our pilots who were well-liked by everyone."
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"I told this group of pilots, 'Your job is just to assess: Is this interviewee someone I would like to take a four-day trip with? And if you say no, then they’re out. You get a veto vote,'" he continued. "The idea is to pick people who care about others, who you want to hang out with, who you want to be with."
Kirby's hiring hack is just one part of the competitive hiring process at United Airlines.
A spokesperson for United told Fortune that the "vibe test" is part of a broader process for hiring pilots, in addition to the basic standards set by the company and the Federal Aviation Administration. Kirby explained that a position for a flight attendant is so in demand at Unite that when hiring for around 3,000 positions, the company receives 75,000 applicants within hours, which translates to a 4% acceptance rate.
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United Airlines is also one of the few airlines where workers can apply for positions without a college diploma, from flight attendants and tech ops to ramp and gate agents. Not only that, but they're still able to earn a six-figure income. So, to weed through all of those applicants, Kirby had to come up with a foolproof strategy.
"So for us, the question is: How do you find people who have the right mentality and customer service attitude?" Kirby said. "We can train them to do the jobs, but how do you build a process to pick the right people and keep them excited?"
An employee's personality does matter in the hiring process.
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While the notion of a CEO conducting a "vibe test" for prospective employees might seem unconventional, many companies care about a candidate's personality when hiring. Research has shown that job candidates who receive offers are 12 times more likely to be described as having a "great personality" compared to those who do not.
Traits like "friendly" or "great energy" often end up tipping the scale, while harder skills get overshadowed. The problem, though, is that personality can be subjective.
Whether hiring managers and CEOs realize it or not, their biases can creep in when judging a candidate on their personality. That's why it matters to have a balance between looking at personality and also looking at a candidate's skills. But if Kirby's vibe check can teach you anything, it's to not be afraid to let your true self shine in an interview when you can.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
