From 'Meet Again & Again' To 'Hire Builders', These Are Anupam Mittal's 3 Rules For Hiring Senior Executives

Renowned entrepreneur and investor Anupam Mittal, widely recognised as the founder and CEO of People Group, a conglomerate with a foothold in the tech and Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) sectors, has been a prominent figure on the Indian business reality TV series 'Shark Tank India' for the past three years.

Anupam Mittal, a multimillionaire, known as the founder and CEO of People Group, a well-established operator, and investor in tech and D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) companies. The group has successfully built several brands, including Shaadi.com (online matrimonial platform), Makaan.com (an online real estate portal in India), and Mauj Mobile (offering mobile entertainment services).

Recently, Mittal on his social media account, LinkedIn, posted an advice for entrepreneurs when hiring for senior roles. He also in his post listed the three key strategies that he employs while hiring senior executives.

Starting his post, Mittal said, "How do you kill a company? By hiring the wrong leadership! You can have a revolutionary product, a passionate team, and a booming market – all brought to their knees by a few bad decisions at the Leadership level."

Mittal's three key strategies he employs when hiring senior executives

1. Meet again & again & … (Repeated Meetings): Mittal advocated for multiple informal meetings with candidates, preferably over meals, character beyond formal interviews, suggesting that repeated interactions can reveal candidates' consistency and suitability for the role.

⁠2. Do 'Unnamed' Ref Checks (Ref Checks): Instead of 'named' reference checks, Mittal proposed reaching out to mutual connections for confidential assessments. He introduced the 'PEARL' ref check theory, which emphasises:

P - Promise reciprocity

E - Ensure confidentiality

A - Ask targeted questions

R - Retrieve critical insights

L - Learn to rehire potential

3. Hiring Builders: Mittal also emphasised the importance of hiring leaders with qualities like high learning agility, strong ownership, outcome orientation, and candor. He referred to such individuals as 'Builders' who are driven by a passion for problem-solving and driving tangible results.

Mittal's LinkedIn post reads:

"How do you kill a company? By hiring the wrong leadership! You can have a revolutionary product, a passionate team, and a booming market – all brought to their knees by a few bad decisions at the Leadership level...will cut down half your workload."

About Mittal

Mittal, born on December 23, 1971, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, started his entrepreneurial journey more than two decades ago. Coming from a lineage of business, he attained his undergraduate degree in Maharashtra before advancing to Boston University for his Master's, specializing in Operations and Strategic Management.