Why I stopped reading a CV of a candidate
Just recently, I stopped reading the CVs of job candidates at my company. I’d like to share why.
To provide some context: Gojo consists of a holding company and its group companies, with about 40 full-time members working for the holding company. I participate in all final interviews at the holdco and spend roughly two hours on each. During the interviews, I don’t focus on what candidates have achieved in their careers; instead, I ask in-depth questions about their life experiences, perspectives, and mental and intellectual abilities. I have a list of preset questions (around 70 at present) and keep a record of all answers. Periodically, I review these to see if my assessments were accurate, which allows me to continuously refine my questions.
Ok, maybe I am bragging now, but my point is that the decision to stop reading CVs wasn’t about saving time. I made this choice to improve the quality of my interviews.
Why don’t CVs help? It’s because what I want to assess in my interviews isn’t captured in a CV, and reading one can bias me into forming an opinion before meeting the person. Let me explain further.
What I’m primarily looking for in a candidate is alignment with our vision, mission, and values, mental and intellectual capability, and cultural fit. My colleagues assess job-specific skills, so I don’t need to focus on that (and to be honest, I don’t think I could ask better skill-related questions than they do). I believe part of why Gojo has survived over the last decade, despite many challenges, is because we’ve managed to bring together like-minded people.
However, CVs typically only show us where candidates have spent their time—schools and workplaces—not the qualities I’m looking for. For instance, let’s say a candidate graduated from a reputable school. Does this mean they’re truly smart? I can’t be sure. Perhaps their parents donated a significant amount to the school to secure admission, or maybe they excelled academically but stopped challenging themselves once enrolled (something that happens quite often in Japan). Despite these uncertainties, we tend to unconsciously assume the candidate is smart, leading us to ask confirmatory questions.
Some might argue that while money can get someone into a good school, it can’t guarantee success at work. I disagree with this as well. I’ve seen people rise within reputable organizations (management consulting, investment banking, private equity, etc.) not necessarily due to capability but because of their skill in internal politics. Unfortunately, in many large organizations, it’s often the canniest rather than the smartest who rise quickly. While some might see political savvy as a valuable skill, I don’t want politically-driven individuals in our organization. As game theory suggests, if you introduce one selfish person into a group of altruists, the group collapses.
Of course, I’m not immune to bias myself. Recently, I noticed that I sometimes lean toward hiring candidates with relevant job experience, even if I have reservations about their cultural fit.
Despite the biases, as someone who finds people-watching endlessly fascinating, I have a certain degree of (though not complete) confidence in my ability to assess others. I believe this is one of the most essential skills for leaders. If I can trust my own judgment, then I don’t need a CV, which can be a source of bias. This approach is also a valuable exercise for me. Without a resume to rely on, I have to fully engage with the person, without preconceptions.