From Credentials to Capabilities: How Employ CEO Jerry Jao Hires Beyond the Resume 

Since joining Employ and spending my days talking with recruiters, TA pros, and HR leaders, I’ve found myself reflecting a lot on my own hiring philosophy. 

So much of it comes from my startup days. When you’re building companies from the ground up, the work is messy. It’s unpredictable. It’s constantly changing. And in that kind of environment, what looks good on paper doesn’t always translate to what works in the real world. 

So over time, I’ve found myself caring less about credentials and more about capabilities. Instead of looking for name-brand schools, company logos, or perfectly linear career paths, I focus on the signals that matter: mistakes they’ve made, what they’ve learned from them, and how those experiences shaped how they operate.  

And here’s the thing: that philosophy feels even more relevant today than when I made my first hire or 50^th hire at ReSci.  

Why?  

As I talk with customers and prospects, one theme keeps coming up again and again: AI is making it easier than ever for candidates to look great on paper—and harder than ever for employers to understand what someone can actually do. 

The resume is becoming a weaker signal, which means the human signals—the ones people can’t fake—matter even more. 

Of course, embracing this philosophy is one thing. Putting it into practice is another. What signals should you actually look for? How do you uncover them in an interview? And how do you know they’ll translate into great hires? 

Those are the questions that inspired a three-part series I recently shared on LinkedIn, and this article brings the key ideas together in one place—from the signals that matter most to the interview questions I rely on to uncover them.  

Let’s get into it! 

The Signals I Look For (That Don’t Show Up on a Resume) 

If resumes are becoming a weaker signal, the obvious next question is: what should we be paying attention to instead? 

The answer will look different for every leader. It depends on your company, your culture, the stage you’re in, and the kind of team you’re trying to build. 

But to help get your gears turning, here are five of the signals I come back to again and again:  

1. Passion 

One of our recent people actually guests, Monica Sklover, said it best: “If you aren’t passionate, then why are you doing it?” When I’m interviewing someone, I’m looking to understand what motivates them and why.  

What brought them to their previous role? What’s pushing them to leave? What are they looking to accomplish next—personally and professionally?  

You can usually tell when someone genuinely cares about the work versus when they’re going through the motions, and that difference matters a lot. 

2. Problem-Solving Ability 

Every challenge at every organization is unique: different people, different stakes, different constraints. And in a world that’s constantly changing, I look for people who can adapt, think on their feet, and stay calm when there’s no obvious answer. 

Because of that, I’m less interested in whether someone has “seen this before” and more interested in how they approach something new.  

• Can they break down ambiguity?  

• Can they stay calm under pressure?  

• Can they make decisions without a perfect playbook?  

• Are they aware of their own blind spots?  

3. Clear Communication 

This is especially important for leaders.  

Different people hear and interpret things in different ways. For some, a clear and direct explanation is enough. For others, it takes more context (or even an analogy) to really connect the dots.  

That’s why I make an effort to say the same thing in different ways, so it lands with everyone. I look for leaders who do the same: people who are thoughtful about how they communicate, recognize different styles, and make the effort to meet their team where they are. 

4. Thirst for Truth 

I look for people who don’t just accept what’s presented—they dig into what’s real.  

It’s easy to be swayed by something that looks polished or well-packaged. And the more senior you get, the more your job can start to revolve around shaping narratives instead of uncovering truth.  

But that’s not how you build a strong business.  

I value people who ask extra questions. Who look for root causes instead of surface-level fixes. Who can separate what sounds good from what’s actually true.  

Because at the end of the day, decisions are only as strong as the facts behind them. 

5. Authenticity and Edge 

I’ll be the first to say it: I’m a little rough around the edges. But that’s just me showing up as my authentic self, and I appreciate it when others do the same.  

I don’t want to see the polished, “buttoned-up” version of who you think you should be. I want to get to know how you think, operate, and who you really are—not the perfect version of it.  

Because at the end of the day, authenticity and imperfections build trust. And to me, that matters more than polish. 

But these are just a few of the signals that have shaped the way I hire over the years. For the complete list and a deeper dive into each one, you can find the full article here.  

The Interview Questions I Always Ask (And What They Tell Me) 

Once you know what you’re looking for, a new challenge shows up: how do you actually uncover those signals in an interview?  

Because most interviews still rely on the usual “Tell me about yourself.” “Why do you want to work here?” “Why should we hire you?”  

They lead to polished, well-rehearsed answers. You get the surface, not the signal.  

Over time, I’ve found myself coming back to a set of questions that help me dig a little deeper and get at what I really care about. Here are a few of the ones I ask every candidate:  

1. What Feels Unfinished From Your Last Role?  

Sometimes I’ll ask if there’s anything they wish they had done in their last role—or any work that still feels unfinished.  

That question reveals a lot. It shows what they care about, how they think about ownership, and whether they reflect honestly on what could have gone differently. More importantly, the question uncovers their humility and self-awareness. 

2. What Are You Working Toward Next?  

You can’t really know whether a role is the right fit for someone if you don’t understand what they’re ultimately working toward.  

• What does success look like for them?  

• What are they hoping to grow into?  

• What does the “promised land” look like in their mind?  

This question matters just as much for the company as it does for the candidate. If I get the sense that we can’t offer someone what they really need, I’d rather be direct than drag the process on just to finish it. That’s a waste of everyone’s time. 

And when I’m hiring for leaders, I go a bit deeper. Because at that level, it’s not just about what you do. It’s about how you show up for other people. 

3. Tell Me About Your Past Wins 

What I pay attention to isn’t the win itself. It’s how they talk about it. Anyone can say they were successful. Do they talk like they did it all themselves? Or do they recognize the team around them?  

To me, that’s a big signal. Success is almost never individual. Leaders may make the final call, but those decisions are only possible because people around them surfaced the right facts, perspectives, and context along the way.  

If someone talks about wins without acknowledging the team behind them, that’s a red flag for me. 

4. How Do You Lead?  

Are they mostly high-level and strategic? Or are they willing to get close to the work?  

I tend to prefer flatter organizations because it helps us move faster and operate more like a startup.  

So, I’m not looking for leaders who think being a manager means sitting above the work and telling people what to do. I’m looking for people who are willing to get their hands dirty, work alongside their team, and solve problems in partnership with them.  

5. How Do You Build Your Team?   

The best leaders know their people on a deeper level. So, I want to understand how they build their team and the values they look for.  

• How do they understand what the team needs (from them)?  

• How do they figure out what motivates people?  

• How do they build trust?  

To me, team building and leadership isn’t just about setting direction. It’s about understanding the humans you’re leading well enough to help them do their best work. 

If you’re curious about the rest of the questions I rely on—and what each one reveals—you can find the full article here.  

Making the Shift  

At the end of the day, hiring has never been about finding the perfect resume. It’s about finding the right person. 

So, as AI continues to make it easier for job seekers to present polished applications, I think that shift—from credentials to capabilities—will only become more important. 

The signals you look for and the questions you ask may be different from mine. But taking the time to define them will improve your entire hiring process—from more intentional conversations to stronger hires. 

This isn’t just a philosophy I’ve developed over the years. It’s one I’ve had the chance to put into practice time and time again. I shared a few stories about some of the best hires I’ve ever made—and the signals they showed from day one. You can read that article here.