I’ve interviewed over 30,000 people—these are the 7 ‘rarest’ types of employees I’ve come across, says CEO

As the founder of an executive search firm, my job is to spot the best of the best. In the last 15 years, I’ve interviewed more than 30,000 candidates.

But I’m not just filling staff positions — I’m finding the next superstars for top companies: the unusually talented, the effortless leaders, the irresistibly winsome. I call them unicorns because they’re the rarest.

Based on my interviews and conversations with CEOs, these seven types of successful personalities are every company’s dream:

Being fast doesn’t mean you say “yes” to everything. It means quickly discerning what needs an immediate response and what does not.

There’s no dithering. Fast Unicorns are decisive, will play hardball with tenacity and efficiency, and will finish their work on time.

How to cultivate the Fast mindset:

• Make it clear that you value a quick response time.
• Set quick, achievable deadlines; you don’t need a month to make your benefit selections.

No one expects you to be perfect at your job, especially in the beginning. But the worst thing you can do is to be inauthentic.

When you mess up, be open about it. Authentic people have a way of sharing their mistakes with humility, which can people together.

How to cultivate the Authentic mindset:

• Admit your mistakes and move on.
• If you’re struggling, be honest and ask for help.

When faced with challenges, people can either choose to be on the problem side or on the solution side. Those who choose to find solutions, who refuse to be victims, and who spend energy moving past those challenges are irreplaceable.

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But not everything is crying out for a solution. Sometimes people just want a sympathetic ear. Be mindful of where you hone your Solver skills so that you don’t waste your time.

How to cultivate the Solver mindset:

• Language counts: rebrand problems as possibilities.
• Instead of…