LinkedIn's head of recruiting does one thing in every interview

When LinkedIn's head of recruiting, Brendan Browne, interviews someone for a job, one of the first things he does is hand over an erasable marker and direct the candidate to a whiteboard on the wall.

Browne has been at the helm of the professional social network's recruitment team since 2010, and in building his own team he's found an unusual exercise to be the best indicator of whether he should hire a candidate, he explained to Business Insider.

He'll ask the candidate, regardless of position, "What are you most passionate about? Using the whiteboard, explain to me the process of how it works."

If that seems open to interpretation to you, it's because it's supposed to.

"Because it's a situation that's a bit ambiguous, they're going to have to be really spontaneous," Browne said.

He said, for example, that if a candidate happened to love brewing beer in their free time, they would be expected to draw out the brewing process and explain it. The same would be expected of a candidate with a more role-specific passion, such as product management.

Browne said he learns four things from this exercise:

1. What do the candidates care about most deeply?

A Nigerian becomes Harvard Law Review 1st Black Woman President

Once again, Black women come through and save the day.


In between all the dispiriting news about the world crumbling all around us, we learn that Nigerian student, ImeIme Umana, class of Harvard Law School ’18, has become the first Black woman elected President of Harvard’s Law Review. Though it took Harvard 130 years longer than it should have, the news of her extraordinary accomplishment couldn’t have come at a better time.

Umana is a PhD candidate “interested in the intersection between government and African American studies by exploring how stereotypes of black women are reproduced and reinforced in American political discourse,” as reported by Clutch

Her appointment echoes that of Barack Obama who became the first Black man elected as President of the Harvard Law Review in 1990, and who went on to become, you know, president.

Umana has several people ready to cast prospective votes for her to become the first Black female president of the United States as well. I am one of those people.

If this ain’t Black excellence, I don’t know what is.

It’s times like these when the stories of women of color need to be heard and celebrated. Today we celebrate ImeIme Umana in all her Black woman glory.

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Full Text of UNILAG 2017 Convocation Lecture delivered by Dr Kayode Fayemi

Greatest Akokites!
Greatest Akokites!!
Greatest Akokites!!!

Introduction

It is with great pride that I participate in the 2017 Convocation ceremony of my alma mater – the University of Lagos – UNILAG. It is always fascinating to return to these scenic and historic grounds of learning, situated in one of the most dynamic cities in the world. I am most grateful to the authorities for honouring me with this hallowed platform to share a few thoughts with this set of graduating students in particular and the university community at large as this year’s convocation lecturer.

When the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Rahamon A. Bello first notified me of my being selected to deliver the 2015/2016 convocation lecture, the first thought that came to my mind was “what would I say?” Convocation lectures traditionally have a defined structure. The university authorities usually invite an individual that has attained some measure of success in life, to share his/her story, with the hope that the graduating students can learn a thing or two about what to expect in the ‘real world’, as the larger society is often called.

So I assume I am expected to speak about my experiences in life, in the more than three decades since I graduated, with the hope that those whose turn it is today can have an idea of what to expect out there. I am also supposed to dispense some hope about the bright prospects that the future holds, and offer some useful advice that would guide them going forward. Considering these expectations of the traditional convocation speech, I must apologise in advance if peradventure I don’t live up fully to this billing. This is because my presentation today would dwell more on pointing you back to some of life’s key lessons that are available within a university, which are enough to prepare you for life after graduation.

Many years ago, I matriculated into this university, thrown into a whole new universe, not knowing what to expect.

Turning Social Media Drama Into Positive Energy: With Tim Fargo

Turning Social Media Drama Into Positive Energy: With Tim Fargo

6 Ways to Use the Holiday Season to Your Advantage

You can always develop your career if you really want and believe it or not holidays are perfect for it. During the holiday season, it is easier to get in touch with people because you have a perfectly valid reason for it.  Therefore, it is up to you to use this excuse and advance your career. Below you can find tips for making the most of this holiday season.