Rethinking Hiring: Devi Sahny Challenges the CV’s Dominance

In a recent LinkedIn post, Devi Sahny challenges the long-standing reliance on the Curriculum Vitae (CV) as a primary hiring tool, labeling it “the worst hiring tool ever invented.” Sahny shares insights gained from interviews with Dr. Ayesha Khanna, co-founder and CEO of Addo, and Sharon Phoong-Wong, founder of motherswork, highlighting that despite differing industries, both leaders found hiring to be a profoundly difficult process. These conversations have led Sahny to share several key takeaways for both job seekers and hiring managers.

The Candidate’s Role: Solving the Company’s Problems

Sahny relays a crucial insight from Dr. Ayesha Khanna, emphasizing a shift in perspective for job candidates. According to Khanna, the candidate is not the hero in an interview; rather, the company is. Sahny elaborates on this, explaining that while many candidates focus on their personal achievements, the most effective ones reframe their responses to address the company’s specific challenges.

“Most candidates walk in ready to perform their highlight reel. The best ones flip it. Every answer becomes about the company’s problem, not their own story. Not ‘here’s what I’ve done’ but ‘here’s what I’d do for you.'”

This approach, as highlighted by Sahny, moves beyond a simple recitation of past accomplishments to a proactive demonstration of how the candidate can contribute to the organization’s future success.

Mitigating Hiring Bias

A significant portion of Sahny’s post addresses the pervasive issue of bias in the hiring process, drawing on Sharon Phoong-Wong’s perspective. Sahny explains that hiring managers often believe they are objectively assessing talent, but in reality, they may be favoring candidates who are simply familiar or likeable.

“We think we’re assessing talent. Often we’re assessing familiarity, what we like. The accent that sounds like ours. The university we recognise. The confidence that reads as competence. The best hirers don’t pretend they have no bias. They build a process that catches it.”

Sahny illustrates this point with a personal anecdote, admitting to hiring a colleague based on a shared belief, a clear instance of personal bias influencing a professional decision. This personal reflection underscores Phoong-Wong’s point that acknowledging and building processes to counteract bias is essential for effective hiring.

Beyond the Homepage: Demonstrating Initiative

Sahny also emphasizes the importance for candidates to go beyond superficial research. The most impressive candidates, according to Sahny, demonstrate initiative by actively engaging with the company’s challenges before even starting the interview process.

“The candidates who stand out don’t tell me they’re proactive. They arrive having already done a slice of the job. A teardown of the company. 3 ideas on how they can add value to the role. One candidate once opened with ‘I took the liberty of using AI to do a 360 of your social media, here are the patterns I found. This is what you should double click on and this is what is not working.'”

This proactive approach, involving deep dives and actionable suggestions, sets candidates apart and signals a genuine commitment to adding value.

Honesty and Transparency in Hiring

Finally, Sahny touches upon the value of honesty regarding career gaps, layoffs, or any unconventional aspects of a candidate’s professional history. Both Dr. Khanna and Sharon Phoong-Wong have reportedly hired individuals who didn’t strictly fit the job description but whose honesty and loyalty proved invaluable. Sahny concludes by encouraging job seekers to be upfront about their preferences, such as a desire for work-life balance, noting that transparency can lead to better-aligned opportunities.

While the CV may persist, Sahny’s post serves as a compelling argument for a more nuanced and insightful approach to hiring, encouraging both sides of the process to prioritize genuine understanding and proactive engagement over traditional, and potentially flawed, screening methods.