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Lesson #2: “We interview people for culture fit.”

Article Overview: When a new position opens up at Zappos, Hsieh begins the interview process. But this is no ordinary interview process.

Lesson #2: “We interview people for culture fit.”

When a new position opens up at Zappos, Hsieh begins the interview process. But this is no ordinary interview process. Zappos may sell apparel and accessories, but hiring people who know which brands are making the latest trends is of no consequences for Hsieh. "We interview people for culture fit," he says. "We want people who are passionate about what Zappos is about - service. I don't care if they're passionate about shoes."

For Hsieh, the hiring process is one of the most important events in the life of his company. "They need the relevant skill set and experience and so on," he says. "But far more important is, are they going to be good for the culture? Is this someone we would choose to have dinner or drinks with, even if they weren't working for Zappos?"

Hsieh uses something called "the pipeline," which is his vision for how he wants to grow as a company. When a new potential employee is being vetted, Hsieh wants to see whether or not they will fit into that pipeline.

"Today, we actually do two separate sets of interviews," says Hsieh. "The hiring manager and his or her team will interview for the standard fit within the team, relevant experience, technical ability and so on. But then our H.R. department does a separate set of interviews purely for culture fit. They actually have questions for each and every one of the core values."

One of Zappos' core values is, "Create fun and little weirdness." So, during an interview, each candidate gets asked, "On a scale of 1 to 10, how weird are you?"

"If you're a 1, you're probably a little bit too strait-laced for us. If you're a 10, you might be too psychotic for us," says Hsieh. "It's not so much the number; it's more seeing how candidates react to a question. Because our whole belief is that everyone is a little weird somehow, so it's really more just a fun way of saying that we really recognize and celebrate each person's individuality, and we want their true personalities to shine in the workplace environment, whether it's with co-workers or when talking with customers."

A second question is, "If you had to name something, what would you say is the biggest misperception that people have of you?" Then Hsieh asks his follow up question, "What's the difference between misperception and perception?"

"I think it's a combination of how self-aware people are and how honest they are," he says. "I think if someone is self-aware, then they can always continue to grow. If they're not self-aware, I think it's harder for them to evolve or adapt beyond who they already are."

With all of these questions, Hsieh is really after one thing: "We're hoping five years from now the vast, vast majority of all hires will actually be entry-level, but we'll provide all the training and mentorship so that, over a five- to seven-year period, they can become a senior leader within the company. That will help protect our culture and also give all the employees a growth path professionally."

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Article Tags: hsieh, lesson 2, new position



Related Forum Posts
I don't use hi... - I use, Dear __________ (whatever their surname is). But then, I'm generallyasking for an interview from an author, filmmaker, etc., so I believe in being formal, until they give me permission to use their first name. Usually, if they respond at all, they agree to give me an interview and call me by my first name, so then we get on a first name basis. And 99% of people I approach do agree to an interview...which is nice.... Everybody likes to talk about themselves!
Re: Rudeness! - [quote="OmnivoreInk":15lk162t]But some people say no. Well...they don't say no, they just don't bother to respond at all. And that really annoys me. I don't mind being turned down for an interview, but I'd like the courtesy of a reply. Even saying "Sorry, your publication is too small to bother with" is less rude than not even answering at all! Because you don't know if they never got your email, or if they're just being rude! But when you've had an email conversation with them on another subject, so that you [i:15lk162t]know [/i:15lk162t]they're getting your emails, and then you ask for an interview and all of a sudden...silence... you know they're just being rude.[/quote:15lk162t] Hi Barbara, I was recently fortunate enough to attend a seminar on "Media relations strategies for entrepreneurial business" by Ian Portsmouth, Editor of Profit Magazine and he was telling us how he receives hundreds of pitches everyday via email, phone, fax, product gifts, etc... and the truth is that the majority of them are never even read, let alone responded to (so you shouldn't feel bad). Influential people are often hounded/stalked by small business owners who want something from them, so it should come to no surprise that they're more selective in who they trust or choose to correspond with. In addition, maybe some of the people you're writing to are simply very busy or may have misinterpreted your email request for an interview to be spam? Your best bet for an interview is probably through a third-party endorsement. But I definitely agree with your point about individuals who normally correspond with you, but then suddenly give you the silent treatment when you ask for an interview as being rude. While I don't think a stranger owes you anything, I feel that an acquaintance owes you at least a response.
Re: Interview on the Lynn Johnson Radio Show - Hi Alan, Well done on getting the interview slot on the show, that will give your business some great exposure. I will listen to the interview later today and will leave a comment on your blog, regards, Mal.
Interview Questions - I'll try this another way to see if anyone has any suggestions. Any suggestions for interview questions for business people? I need to create a template for business and non fiction interview questions and would appreciate some question suggestions. Shri
Rudeness! - Not endemic to women running businesses, of course, but I just feel like venting. As I've mentioned before, I publish a few webzines. And I ask people for interviews, via email, many times, and I've been very fortunate in that many people say yes! But some people say no. Well...they don't say no, they just don't bother to respond at all. And that really annoys me. I don't mind being turned down for an interview, but I'd like the courtesy of a reply. Even saying "Sorry, your publication is too small to bother with" is less rude than not even answering at all! Because you don't know if they never got your email, or if they're just being rude! But when you've had an email conversation with them on another subject, so that you [i:2mc59cg9]know [/i:2mc59cg9]they're getting your emails, and then you ask for an interview and all of a sudden...silence... you know they're just being rude. My reaction of course is to double my energies to build up my webzines to such an extent that everyone in the field hears about them, then go back to these rude people and say "Nyah. Try to get into my zine now, you jerk." I suppose it's a form of motivation...


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