To truly assess a candidate's agency, look for a continuous pattern of initiative and follow-through throughout their entire life, not just a single impressive example. Whether in school, personal projects, or previous jobs, consistent agency is a stronger signal than one standout achievement.

Shaan Puri realized his ideal role by analyzing his childhood gaming habits. He never played the games, only the "franchise mode" where he acted as GM. This predicted his adult success as an investor and incubator, highlighting that how you played as a child can reveal your natural professional strengths.

Gilly Shwed’s founder interview technique focuses on understanding the motivations behind past actions. He believes this meta-level questioning provides deeper insights into a founder's character and decision-making framework than a simple recitation of accomplishments.

Instead of treating a resume as a list of facts, frame interviews around the story it tells. Ask "why" behind each job change and project choice to understand the candidate's motivations, self-awareness, and decision-making process. This reveals far more than a list of skills and accomplishments.

Moritz reveals his most powerful interview question: 'If you could do one thing differently, what would it be?' He finds this question can be so revealing it once made a candidate burst into tears, exposing deep-seated values around family, pride, and shame. It bypasses rehearsed answers to uncover a person's core character.

To gauge a founder's drive and potential for greatness, ask if they have ever been in the top 1% of any field, even an esoteric one. This unconventional question serves as a powerful proxy for ambition and the willingness to push through challenges, regardless of their professional background.

ACMA's CEO intentionally keeps "liquor store clerk" on his LinkedIn profile to show how early, seemingly unrelated jobs build foundational skills in sales, psychology, and empathy. These formative experiences shape an adult's professional identity and should be valued, not hidden.

Instead of standard behavioral questions, Endra's CEO asks candidates to share their life story, from childhood to the present. This narrative approach reveals a person's trajectory, resilience, and underlying motivations in a way that screening for specific skills cannot, allowing for a deeper character assessment.

To assess a candidate's true character and values, move beyond standard interview questions. Use unexpected, personal prompts like "What's something your parents taught you?" or "What was your first job?" These questions reveal foundational lessons, resilience, and personal drive, which are hard to gauge otherwise.