Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, has a unique recruitment style. At a recent Talent Connect conference, he related the story of posing as an 85-year old taxi driver for prospective new hires so that he could assess them anonymously. After rude behavior and negative comments towards the “driver,” Branson hired no one.¹

1. Finding the right personality. For Branson, recruitment is about finding the right personality and character, not necessarily the person with the best credentials or education. Relating well to others and treating others well are the foundation of great teams.  He admires risk-takers, being one himself. He considers his people the “greatest asset and the lifeblood of the brand.”²

2. Finding the right fit. After making the decision to hire someone, Branson is reluctant to fire the employee outright if a problem arises. He prefers instead to reposition people and see if there is a better fit in another role.

3. Promoting beyond expectation. Branson has found success promoting employees from within and promoting them more than they expect. He finds that these people often rise to the occasion and excel beyond expectation. Branson fondly recalls a janitor at one of his recording studios who eventually became a Managing Director at the studio.  In one of his Canadian offices, a receptionist went on to run the Canadian charitable foundation for Virgin.

4. Rewarding optimism. For Branson, it is all about hiring the “cheerleaders” with enthusiasm and the ability to find praise for others instead of criticism.¹

^{1 https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/talent-connect/2016/richard-branson-secrets-to-recruiting-the-right-personality}

^{2 http://www.inc.com/zoe-henry/3-tips-from-richard-branson-for-hiring-remarkable-people.html}