Before I started HighTower, I was a lawyer. The courtroom taught me a lot about how to get honest answers out of people — a useful skill when deciding whom to hire. Most people do not lie outwardly during job interviews, but they tend not to give completely genuine answers. I don’t blame them. Those questions are pretty dumb.

When I talk to people who want to work at HighTower, I believe in giving them a chance to tell me what they really think.

What matters:

  • Curiosity: Curiosity is a mark of intelligence. It’s an inherent trait that if encouraged, makes people who are naturally curious that much more appealing as job candidates. I want to work with people who care enough to be curious.
  • Emotional intelligence: I know it is a buzzword these days, but we’re stuck with it. Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and those of others. If you are smart, curious, and have the ability to understand how your emotions and those of people around you impact just about everything we all do, then you’re likely to contribute to