- Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn solely hires individuals with 5 qualities: those that “take the lengthy view,” present and don’t inform, and produce enjoyable into the workplace. Gen Z “persona hires” bringing good vibes to work have one trait ticked off of the chief’s hiring guidelines.
Not each Gen Z is an AI wiz with superior expertise—many are set on being the corporate’s “chief vibes officer,” and bringing enjoyable again into the workplace. Their personalities is perhaps the right match for one CEO, who’s laying out which qualities each new rent should have to work at his $16.7 billion firm.
“We’re searching for individuals who have enjoyable working,” Luis von Ahn, CEO of Duolingo, tells Fortune. “That actually issues [because] we wish each our merchandise and our firm tradition to be enjoyable.”
The educational app big has simply nailed down 5 traits that it seems to be for when selecting new staff—and so they’re not only a nice-to-have steering. Von Ahn says they’re essential ideas that he set into stone a month in the past when revamping the corporate’s handbook. Writing down a transparent sense of path in relation to hiring and tradition is important—particularly after Duolingo’s knockout 2024 success, with general income rising 29% year-over-year and subscription income skyrocketing 48% year-over-year.
“I am very pleased with our tradition,” von Ahn says. “However as corporations scale, tradition will get diluted, since you simply rent much more individuals. It is onerous to ensure that everyone is on the identical wavelength.”
“Crucial factor was attempting to codify our tradition as a lot as doable. The way in which we codified it’s by writing down 5 ideas. They don’t seem to be aspirational—they’re what truly occurs.”
Employees with out these 5 key qualities needn’t apply
In case you transfer gradual and mull over the grunt work, von Ahn most likely gained’t be knocking at your door with a possibility. However he’d somewhat potential hires resolve for themselves in the event that they’re tradition match earlier than throwing their hat into the ring.
“I am hoping that [these requisites] will do self-selection for individuals who apply right here,” von Ahn provides. “There are individuals who most likely don’t love these ideas, and I am very pleased for them to not apply right here.”
Bringing constructive vibes to the workplace is only one of his 5 non-negotiables; the CEO spells out 4 different qualities each candidate should possess to get into the pearly gates of Duolingo.
“We attempt to look for those who fulfill all of those,” he says.
- Don’t do fast hacks to earn money. Von Ahn says Duolingo desires to be a long-term firm—so he seems to be for individuals who “take the lengthy view” too.
- Present, don’t inform. That is essential to Duolingo’s communication type; Von Ahn doesn’t need staff to “spend a very long time speaking in regards to the effort of what they did,” and as a substitute present the outcomes. The proof is at all times within the pudding.
- Elevate the bar. The CEO seeks staffers who at all times attempt for excellence—yearly, they’re enhancing the craft and increasing into new arenas of studying.
- Ship it. Duolingo values employees who “act with urgency,” and attempt to put high quality merchandise in entrance of customers as quick as doable.
- Make it enjoyable. Von Ahn desires firm tradition to be as enjoyable as their merchandise, so he seems to be for workers who carry that very same pleasure and vitality to the job.
The corporate’s one ‘unofficial rule’ in hiring: no assholes
Other than the candidate guidelines, Duolingo additionally espouses one unwritten guideline in hiring to maintain firm tradition wholesome and pleased.
The tech world is stuffed with characters—and similar to most workplaces, you’re certain to run into loud-mouths, gossips, snitches, and bullies. Von Ahn has a spidey sense for unsavory characters in hiring, and is pleased to maintain a place unstaffed till he finds the appropriate choose.
“We’ve got an official rule: If you’re hiring, it is as a result of you’ve a gap within the group that you just’re attempting to fill,” he says. “Our unofficial rule: it is higher to have a gap than an asshole.”
The chief govt says that the corporate, boasting practically 900 staffers, has performed a reasonably good job at removing unlikeable individuals. Part of this has to do with the enterprise’ hiring technique—most junior staffers are employed from Duolingo’s internships proper out of faculty. He says managers can get sense of potential hires in the course of the three-month program. But it surely’s not solely younger staff who’re topic to the check.
Von Ahn recollects a time the place being impolite has price somebody a job at Duolingo. The corporate had been searching for a chief monetary officer for a yr and a half with no luck. A stellar candidate with a powerful resume was into consideration—till they have been imply to a driver Duolingo had employed to take them to the airport. Phrase of their habits received again to the chief govt, and the applicant was dropped from the working.
Regardless of von Ahn’s watchful eye, some unhealthy apples nonetheless handle to slide by means of the cracks. However they gained’t final lengthy at Duolingo.
“It’s actually onerous to not rent assholes,” von Ahn says. “Given the tradition, if we do have assholes right here, they’re closeted. As a result of when you’re overtly an asshole, you’ll get fired fairly shortly.”
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com
