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How to assess for grit

Grit is one of the most sought-after—and misunderstood—soft skills that employers look for. Learn how to successfully evaluate grit across candidates at different levels and for different roles.

What is grit?

People with grit are perseverant about achieving their goals, even in the face of adversity. But this skill is far from the only ingredient needed in the recipe for success.

Grit can be hard to pin down – but LinkedIn’s Brendan Browne is on the case. In this video, he chats about the role of passion, what grit means in different situations, and more.

Meet the experts

Greater likelihood of employees with grit remaining at their job long-term

Employers would choose a candidate with grit over another who was otherwise perfectly qualified

Interview questions to assess for grit

Question 1

Tell me about your biggest professional failure. What did you learn from the experience?

What to listen for

Owning of failures, rather than passing the blame
Self-reflection on what went wrong, with a clear sense of what to do differently next time

What this question assesses

Determination to persist past mistakes, rather than being discouraged
Humility and adaptation in the face of failure

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Question 2

Tell me about a goal that you're working toward, personally or professionally. How's it going?

What to listen for

Thoughtful, advanced planning that demonstrates organization and interest in an endeavor
Concrete steps they’ve taken to maintain a focused approach on achieving their goals

What this question assesses

Enthusiasm and diligence in achieving long-term goals
Motivation and perseverance, even when something goes unexpectedly

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Question 3

How do you decide if and when to stop pursuing a goal?

What to listen for

Centering around the negative, futile consequences of continuing down the same path
Careful, objective considerations of the pros and cons of giving up, and alternative solutions

What this question assesses

Ability to recognize a lost cause, although they don’t give up easily
Poise in backing out and making every effort to minimize unwanted consequences

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Get the checklist for assessing grit

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Additional resources

What your hiring style is telling candidates

How to influence candidates’ perception of your company.

Make a winning impression

Angela Lee Duckworth on the power of passion and perseverance

Why self-control and grit can help predict professional success.

Learn why grit matters

Featured speakers

Brendan Browne
VP of Global Talent Acquisition

Brendan Browne leads recruiting for LinkedIn. Prior to joining LinkedIn, he led recruiting and HR at Microsoft, Northwest Mutual, and Sapient. A 15-year industry veteran, Brendan is passionate about nurturing high performing, healthy, scaleable companies.

Lilian Tham
Head of Global Executive Search

Lilian Tham drives executive hiring at Airbnb, where she’s excited to help steer the company through their IPO and post-IPO growth. Lilian previously led executive hiring for Google and Howard Fischer Associates, and managed marketing at American Express.

Nick Gorski
Engineering Manager

Nick Gorski leads data engineering at Grand Rounds. Previously, he was an engineering manager at Twitter and a software engineer at TellApart, which Twitter acquired in 2015. Nick specializes in data platforms, machine learning, and distributed computing.

Deanna Fleming
Head of Global Sales and Business Development

Deanna Fleming leads the sales organization at Newell Brands Technical Apparel (NBTA). Prior to joining NBTA, she was the vice president of marketing and innovation at Harmless Harvest, where she managed the company’s expansive growth.

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