‘Two lines, zero experience’: entrepreneur explains why he hired a woman with a 2-line CV

During the interview, when she was unsure about certain questions, she was honest (Representative image/Pexels)

An English entrepreneur is winning hearts after he talked about how he once hired a candidate with no prior work experience, impressed not by her CV but by her attitude and social skills. Steven Bartlett, an entrepreneur and the host of The Diary of a CEO podcast, revealed that the woman’s resume was just two lines long, yet she went on to become one of his strongest hires.

“I hired someone who’s CV was two lines. Their experience was zero,” Bartlett wrote in a LinkedIn post. “She thanked the security guard by name on the way into the building,” he highlighted.

Bartlett further wrote that the candidate consistently demonstrated emotional intelligence and a willingness to learn. During the interview, when she was unsure about certain questions, she was honest and said, “I don’t know that yet, but here’s how I’d figure it out.”

After the interview, she went a step further by teaching herself the answers to the questions she could not respond to and emailing them to him, Bartlett shared. “She sent a thank-you note. To everyone after the interview,” he wrote.

Furthermore, he noted that his company places high value on ambition, work ethic, and emotional intelligence, all qualities the candidate clearly displayed.

She was ultimately hired and proved to be an exceptional employee. “She’s one of the best hires I had ever made,” Bartlett said.

Reflecting on the experience, Bartlett emphasised that hiring decisions should prioritise traits that are difficult to teach. While technical skills and tools can be learned quickly, he argued that character, emotional intelligence, ambition, and genuine care for work cannot.

Drawing from years of experience, he concluded that attitude and cultural fit matter far more than formal education or experience, as it is far easier to train skills than to instil drive or values.

The post quickly gained traction, prompting a wave of reactions. “Willing to learn quickly + good attitude have been some of the best co-workers and employees I’ve ever had,” a LinkedIn user wrote. “Character shows itself in small, observable behaviors. Those signals predict contribution far more reliably than credentials ever will,” another user commented.

“Skills can be taught. Character, curiosity, and respect can’t, and they’re what actually scale teams,” a third user reacted.