Elon Musk rejected thousands of qualified applicants but hired a teenager with no degree.
What made the difference? A quality most people don't show.
Top companies use a formula to spot people worth more than their peers.
3 ways to demonstrate you're a 10x performer: 🧵
What made the difference? A quality most people don't show.
Top companies use a formula to spot people worth more than their peers.
3 ways to demonstrate you're a 10x performer: 🧵
Traditional hiring is broken.
Bad hires cost companies $14,900 each in lost productivity, not including salary and opportunity costs.
Yet many companies admit they've made significant hiring mistakes.
The problem?
Bad hires cost companies $14,900 each in lost productivity, not including salary and opportunity costs.
Yet many companies admit they've made significant hiring mistakes.
The problem?
Resumes tell you nothing about future performance.
Google found zero correlation between interview scores and job performance.
Most processes focus on credentials that don't predict success.
What Elon Musk and other billion-dollar founders look for instead:
Google found zero correlation between interview scores and job performance.
Most processes focus on credentials that don't predict success.
What Elon Musk and other billion-dollar founders look for instead:
They seek MULTIPLIERS - people who create exponential value.
The difference between average performers and multipliers isn't skill or education.
It's something far more valuable...
The difference between average performers and multipliers isn't skill or education.
It's something far more valuable...
Their IMPACT is 5-10x greater.
This gap follows the Pareto Principle: Roughly 10% of people create 90% of the business value.
The other 90% maintain existing systems.
Understanding this changes everything about your career trajectory:
This gap follows the Pareto Principle: Roughly 10% of people create 90% of the business value.
The other 90% maintain existing systems.
Understanding this changes everything about your career trajectory:
The 10/90 Method works from both sides of the hiring equation.
For EMPLOYERS: Invest 90% of recruitment resources into finding top 10% talent
For INDIVIDUALS: Position yourself in that top 10% by demonstrating multiplier qualities.
How? It comes down to 3 crucial questions...
For EMPLOYERS: Invest 90% of recruitment resources into finding top 10% talent
For INDIVIDUALS: Position yourself in that top 10% by demonstrating multiplier qualities.
How? It comes down to 3 crucial questions...
Question #1: "Tell me about the biggest impact you've had that WASN'T part of your job description."
EMPLOYERS look for Self-starters who find high-value problems without being told.
CANDIDATES should prepare stories showing initiative.
For example:
EMPLOYERS look for Self-starters who find high-value problems without being told.
CANDIDATES should prepare stories showing initiative.
For example:
A customer service rep who identified a recurring issue, built a knowledge base solution, and reduced support tickets by 38%.
Multipliers don't wait for permission - they see problems as opportunities.
Question #2 reveals another critical quality...
Multipliers don't wait for permission - they see problems as opportunities.
Question #2 reveals another critical quality...
"What's one process you improved that continued creating value after you stopped working on it?"
EMPLOYERS seek: People who build systems that scale beyond their direct effort.
CANDIDATES should demonstrate how your work compounds over time:
EMPLOYERS seek: People who build systems that scale beyond their direct effort.
CANDIDATES should demonstrate how your work compounds over time:
A junior marketer at Airbnb created a referral system that generated 300,000 new users even after being reassigned.
Multipliers build leverage through systems and processes that create ongoing value.
The third question is the most revealing...
Multipliers build leverage through systems and processes that create ongoing value.
The third question is the most revealing...
"If we gave you $100k with no restrictions tomorrow, what would you do to create the most value?"
EMPLOYERS listen for: Strategic thinking focused on leverage points.
CANDIDATES should show you understand what truly drives business growth:
EMPLOYERS listen for: Strategic thinking focused on leverage points.
CANDIDATES should show you understand what truly drives business growth:
Average answers focus on incremental improvements.
The multiplier answers target fundamental growth levers that create disproportionate returns.
One multiplier at Stripe launched a payment feature that generated $50M in year one...
The multiplier answers target fundamental growth levers that create disproportionate returns.
One multiplier at Stripe launched a payment feature that generated $50M in year one...
The implementation works for everyone.
EMPLOYERS: Structure interviews around impact, not credentials.
EMPLOYEES: Frame your experience around value creation, not job duties.
Companies pay multipliers 2-5x more because their value justifies it:
EMPLOYERS: Structure interviews around impact, not credentials.
EMPLOYEES: Frame your experience around value creation, not job duties.
Companies pay multipliers 2-5x more because their value justifies it:
They receive more opportunities, greater autonomy, and faster advancement.
A developer who identified a billing optimization generated $2.3M in savings and was promoted twice in 18 months.
Start positioning yourself today...
A developer who identified a billing optimization generated $2.3M in savings and was promoted twice in 18 months.
Start positioning yourself today...
• Practice articulating how you'd allocate resources for max impact
• Document your highest achievements with specific numbers
• Identify systems you've built that created value
• Prepare examples of initiative beyond your job
This approach works in ALL industries:
• Document your highest achievements with specific numbers
• Identify systems you've built that created value
• Prepare examples of initiative beyond your job
This approach works in ALL industries:
Whether you're in tech, marketing, operations, finance, or service roles, multipliers exist everywhere.
Follow me, @jsaunders_, for no-nonsense execution, security, and software strategies from someone who's done it.
Follow me, @jsaunders_, for no-nonsense execution, security, and software strategies from someone who's done it.
I hope you've found this thread helpful.
Follow me @jsaunders_ for more.
Like/Repost the quote below if you can:
Follow me @jsaunders_ for more.
Like/Repost the quote below if you can:
https://twitter.com/48372656/status/1911789058550079956
Video credits (YouTube):
· Stand Together: Traditional hiring is broken. Here’s what it could look like.
· TestWisely: Elon Musk talks about hiring: "Only ask two questions, and you can tell the level of competence."
· Lex Clips: Elon Musk's hiring process | Walter Isaacson and Lex Fridman
· EntreLeadership: The Difference Between Top Performers and Average Team Members
· Better Than Yesterday: The Pareto Principle - 80/20 Rule - Do More by Doing Less (animated)
· TEDx Talks: How to master recruiting | Mads Faurholt-Jorgensen | TEDxWarwick
· Startupfood: Growth & Referral at Airbnb, By Gustaf Alströmer, Growth Manager at Airbnb
· Stand Together: Traditional hiring is broken. Here’s what it could look like.
· TestWisely: Elon Musk talks about hiring: "Only ask two questions, and you can tell the level of competence."
· Lex Clips: Elon Musk's hiring process | Walter Isaacson and Lex Fridman
· EntreLeadership: The Difference Between Top Performers and Average Team Members
· Better Than Yesterday: The Pareto Principle - 80/20 Rule - Do More by Doing Less (animated)
· TEDx Talks: How to master recruiting | Mads Faurholt-Jorgensen | TEDxWarwick
· Startupfood: Growth & Referral at Airbnb, By Gustaf Alströmer, Growth Manager at Airbnb
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
