Don’t hire losers.

They might be able to do the job for which they are hired. But that is not good enough. Especially at a startup where you are able to hire a lot fewer people than you would like.

Here are some of the questions you can ask to detect losers:

• “Tell me about what you studied in college, and what were some of your favorite classes?” A person who spent $120,000 and dedicated four years of their lives to any pursuit better be able to speak eloquently for five minutes on that humongous experience. Or else they are a loser.
• “Tell me about your hobbies…” A person who has no hobbies, and can’t even exaggerate one, almost certainly lacks the ambition to make your company valuable. They are probably a loser.
• “So, what do you think about our website?” If the applicant hasn’t performed even the most basic due diligence in preparation for the interview, then they have no common sense. And if they are too weak to offer an opinion on a matter, that is a huge negative.
• “Which of your previous job did you enjoy the most?” Applicants screw up this question so often, you’d think that you were quizzing them on Fermat’s Last Theorem (their reply is complex). Ho can you know if they are a fit for your work environment, when they can’t even tell you about a work environment that appeals to them?

These sort of questions are great, because they can help identify winners even amongst the nervous, “I don’t interview well” types of people who may warm up and shine on the job.

-Bryan Goldberg, Losers exist. Don’t hire them