Hire for Hunger, Not Just Resumes
Why the future belongs to the underestimated.
We need to talk about hiring, because in this job market something’s deeply broken.
Recruiters and hiring managers are overwhelmed. Companies are flooded with applicants. But instead of rethinking what actually makes a great hire, they double down on rigid checklists:
10+ years of experience in a specific industry or vertical
Ivy League degree, MBAs preferred
Linear resume with no “gaps”
Familiar job titles and buzzwords
In the process, they’re filtering out the very people who would thrive: the scrappy, self-taught, high-capacity candidates who’ve mastered chaos, problem-solving, and ownership.
According to a 2022 McKinsey report, hiring for skills is 5x more predictive of on-the-job success than education-based hiring and twice as predictive as experience. But most job platforms and internal HR systems still are optimized to reward pedigree over potential.
A Harvard Business School study found that millions of qualified candidates are automatically screened out by resume filters. These "hidden workers" include caregivers, veterans, immigrants, and those who took career detours.
If we want more resilient, innovative companies, we need to stop hiring for polish — and start hiring for hunger.
Some of the best leaders aren’t in boardrooms
They’re waitresses diffusing conflict during a Saturday night rush.
They’re moms leading Zoom calls while rocking a feverish toddler on four hours of sleep.
They’re ex-athletes who rebuilt after career-ending injuries — with grit, discipline, and drive.
These are people who’ve led without titles, teams, or credit. And I know, because I’ve lived it.
By 21, I learned more about communication, pressure, and customer service from waitressing late-night shifts than I ever did in business school.
By 24, I was a VP at a Canadian B2B marketing and events agency, not because I climbed a traditional ladder, but because I chose a startup over a Big 5 consulting job and said yes to wearing all the hats.
By 27, I produced two nationally syndicated lifestyle technology shows and was running a production company, with zero production experience.
And over the last decade, I’ve launched more than 1,000 brand campaigns and driven nine-figure annual revenue growth at some of the biggest media companies in the world by building systems where there were none and learning as I went.
My husband played professional baseball. After a knee injury ended his career, he taught himself finance and now manages a private equity fund, with no traditional finance degree, just discipline, failing and getting back up and hunger.
None of this was on a résumé. None of it came from a linear path. It came from the ability to figure things it out fast, to adapt, to keep going when there’s no playbook.
And when I hire, that’s exactly what I look for.
The State of the Job Market in 2025
The job market right now is a paradox. There are jobs. There are candidates. Yet we still can’t seem to match them.
According to a 2025 Michael Page report, more than a third of companies said they struggled to hire last year. Not because there weren’t qualified people, but because bloated interview processes and a fear of making the wrong hire slowed everything down.
At the same time, the World Economic Forum says that by 2030, 59% of workers will need reskilling or upskilling to keep up with new job demands. Skills like AI, cybersecurity, adaptability, and resilience are rising to the top of hiring wish-lists. And yet, most companies are still screening for degrees and titles instead of real-world ability and willingness to grow. People are so scared of change, but without change there is no progress.
In fact, 63% of employers admit skill gaps are the biggest thing standing in the way of their growth (World Economic Forum, 2025). But instead of widening the lens, they’re narrowing it.
Did you know that workers without degrees actually stay 34% longer than those with them (McKinsey, 2022)?
So if the goal is long-term retention and impact, why are we still hiring like it’s 1995?
Why the System is Broken
Hiring today isn’t driven by courage. It’s paralyzed by fear. Fear of making the wrong hire. Fear of someone not “fitting in.” Fear of risk.
So instead of hiring for potential, companies default to checklists. But following a checklist doesn’t lead to greatness. It leads to sameness. And sameness isn’t what builds innovative teams.
The irony? The very traits that make someone an incredible hire—adaptability, ownership, resilience—are the ones our current system is trained to ignore. It’s not just broken. It’s backwards.
We say we want problem-solvers. But the system is still built to reward the safest, shiniest choice.
Instead of asking:
Where did they go to school?
Have they done this exact job?
Try asking:
What have they built?
What have they survived?
Can they lead when everything's on fire?
Angela Duckworth’s research shows grit outperforms IQ in predicting success. Yet we still screen for pedigree instead of perseverance.
Hiring for Courage, Not Credentials
If you want a brave, high-output team, hire the hungry.
Here’s what to look for:
Adaptability in messy environments
Self-direction without hand-holding
High-stakes decision-making under pressure
Ownership without ego (this is a big one!)
Ask better questions:
“Tell me about a time you had to figure something out with no roadmap.”
“What’s the hardest decision you’ve had to make in your life?”
“How do you lead when the stakes are high?”
Forget polish. Screen for courage.
The future belongs to the underestimated
It’s time to stop hiring based on convenience and fear, and start hiring based on character.
In the Netflix documentary American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden, Tracy Walder recounts how she went from a carefree California sorority girl to hunting one of the world’s most wanted terrorists for the CIA. Walder explains that the agency recruited her not just for her academic background, but for her courage, moral judgment, and willingness to lead. As vice president of her sorority, she “sacrificed her popularity and being liked to make tough decisions for the betterment of the entire house,” putting the mission above approval. That’s what stood out to the CIA. Her character was the real résumé. Character and hunger are transferable skills.
The mom who hasn’t had a “real job” in a few years because she was raising her kids? She’s been managing budgets, operations, negotiations, and conflict on a daily basis.
The immigrant who rebuilt their life in a new country? They’re not a risk; they’re a masterclass in grit.
The ex-athlete who had to pivot after a career-ending injury? They bring discipline, coachability, and resilience.
Hire them. Train them. Bet on them.
Because when you hire for hunger, you build teams that lead with courage. Now that’s a return on your recruitment investment!
Action Step:
If you're in a position to hire, take a hard look at your job descriptions. Are you unintentionally filtering out the very people you need most? What conversations are you having with your HR partner about those requirements? Are they flexible, or fear-based? Be honest with yourself. Because if you’re not open to change, your HR team can’t be either.
Bonus for Paid Subscribers:
Would you download an Interview Guide with sample questions, red flags, and what to look for when hiring for courage and grit? If so, reply to this email and let me know, I’d love your feedback for future posts.
If this resonated, forward it to a hiring manager, founder, or HR leader who's ready to build braver teams.
With courage,
— Maryam
Sources
Angela Duckworth, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Scribner, 2016.
Business Insider, “The Job Market is Broken and Nobody Knows How to Fix It,” 2023.
Forbes Tech Council, “Looking Past Credentials: Why Potential Is Key to Long-Term Success,” 2023.
Harvard Business School, Hidden Workers: Untapped Talent, Joseph B. Fuller & Manjari Raman, 2021.
McKinsey & Company, Taking a Skills-Based Approach to Building the Future Workforce, 2022.
Michael Page, 2025 Job Market Outlook and Hiring Trends, 2025.
Netflix, American Manhunt: The Search for Osama Bin Laden, directed by Michael Ingraham, 2023.
TestGorilla, The State of Skills-Based Hiring 2024, 2024.
World Economic Forum, The Future of Jobs Report, 2025.