Why your energy gets you further than your resume — we tend to link earnings with education or skills. And yes, those things often influence what job we land. But there’s a certain “quality of being” in work, in teams, in relationships — that people with serious experience are willing to pay well for. Fight for, even. Regardless of whether the certificates or the degree stand out first. Often, they won’t even be the thing that interests the headhunters.
What is this “quality of being”?
It’s a form of emitted energy, motivation, atmosphere — something you can’t really teach someone if they’re not already giving it space in their own life. Does that mean you’re either born with it or you’re not? Not necessarily. But being that kind of person requires a lot of self-awareness, a lot of inner work, a lot of consistency and lightness — and none of it can be done with the intention of monetizing it.
It’s not something any degree or course will give you.
Through my work with people, through conversations with CEOs from around the world who build remarkable teams — the ones whose collaborators ask “where on earth did you find these people?” — I’ve noticed specific qualities they look for when choosing people. And contrary to popular opinion, it’s rarely hard skills or experience. Those things might be useful for getting your CV noticed in a pile of others. But the real threshold for selection — that’s a different caliber entirely.
And when you have this kind of energy — people who recognize it will seek you out. Whether in a formal interview or in an informal setting as an acquaintance — they’ll start asking whether you’d consider a change, building quiet strategies to get you on their team.
The CEO and His Best Business Decision
A CEO of a thriving company — not a flashy one, but one with a genuinely great atmosphere and deeply committed people (I had the chance to meet them) — told me the story of a young girl whose hire turned out to be, as he put it, “his greatest business success.”
She was invited to the recruitment process despite having no experience and no degree. Her CV showed she’d been teaching herself various things — so he let her come to the interviews.
We were sitting over coffee when he told me: “Look — I’d already spoken with brilliant specialists, people with real experience. Three rounds of interviews were planned. And you know what? After a few minutes of talking to this particular girl, I found myself almost wanting to ask her to join. I didn’t want to show it right away — but by the end I’d already suggested that I thought this might be it. That if she was interested, we’d probably work something out.”
What made her stand out?
“The way she listened. The empathy. You could feel the initiative she takes in her own life.”
He admitted — she had zero industry background. But she learned more than he could have imagined. Three months in, seeing her personality and her pace of growth, he knew he wanted her to eventually become the second lead manager in his growing company.
Her key qualities:
Self-motivation and initiative. Bringing great energy to the team. Genuinely navigating non-standard challenges. Relational intelligence. Happiness. An open mind. A desire to keep learning. The ability to make complex topics concrete — even without knowing every process. Courage.
She’s been with him for several years now. Looking back, he says: “I always knew she’d be good — but I never dreamed how good. In the final round I was choosing between her and another candidate who had real experience I knew could bring something to the team. Logically, I should have chosen her. But I went with instinct. With what my gut told me about people. And that turned out to be one of the best business decisions I’ve ever made.”
He’s known as someone whose people others want to poach.
His teams produce remarkable results. His company frequently turns down large projects — not because they can’t — but because they simply don’t have the time. They’re in demand.
The Director in Hong Kong
A general director I met in Hong Kong — a modest man given what he actually does — turned out to manage a financial network spanning several continents. During a casual conversation over drinks, he learned a little about my approach to business — though he didn’t know much about what I actually do or the scale of it. And yet, at an informal group gathering, he started asking whether I’d considered a change, whether I’d think about working for him in HK.
I was genuinely surprised by his proposal — especially given how little he knew about my background.
But he’s been managing teams for too long not to notice.
He said simply: “You can teach a person almost any skill — but you can’t teach them this kind of energy and lightness that holds everything together. That’s an irreplaceable quality in a team.”
The offer was a good one. But out of loyalty — and genuine appreciation for where I am now — I decided not to take it. We stayed in touch as friends, and his perspective on how to choose people has shown me a lot.
The Charitable Team
One more example — this time from Poland. A charitable team supporting a non-profit organization. Prestigious despite being voluntary — hundreds of requests to join sit permanently on the table. Limited spots.
The team supervisor told me about someone he’d accepted primarily for their skills — but over time, this person had to significantly reduce their involvement. For stretches, they did almost nothing beyond showing up to the weekly team meeting. Which was one of the requirements — a committed time contribution.
This person was upfront with me about it — said they were considering leaving, that things in their personal life were shifting, that they didn’t want to stay on the list just for the sake of it.
The supervisor said: “I was obviously aware of their engagement level lately. I knew it wasn’t quite within the rules, and this person was open about it and had mentioned leaving. I have plenty of applications on my desk — people who could technically replace them. But I felt one thing clearly: finding someone who will influence the atmosphere the way they do, bring that quality of values and perspective, bring lightness — who is proof that happiness is possible — I’ve been running teams for years. I know that replicating this kind of personality borders on impossible. It’s uncomfortable that they sometimes don’t pull their weight. But their presence alone brings so much that I kept working to stop them from leaving. Illogical — because the role requires technical engagement beyond the meetings. But I could see that having the team I have requires something more. A quality of being.”
These are just a few examples — but I chose them because they clearly show that this kind of selection isn’t just a manager’s whim. It’s an instinct that translates into real results — in workplace atmosphere, in team performance, in overall company success. These people didn’t always think this way — years of experience and observation showed them what actually works and what qualities matter most.
Skills are important. But skills can be taught. Energy can’t — it’s someone’s personal contribution, built long before they walked in the door. Who they are shapes what they bring to the structure. The rest can be learned when it’s needed.
So to sum up: the qualities the best leaders look for don’t require a university degree. Some people find them easier to develop than others. But they all require inner work, a positive orientation, building self-awareness, and being a good observer.
Not every CEO or HR person measures by this standard — it’s an unusual approach, especially in corporate environments. But these people exist. You can meet them at least a few times in a life.
And starting a collaboration on that foundation brings enormous value to both sides.
Regardless of luck — working alongside someone like this will train you, grow you, and make sure you’re ready when the opportunity of a lifetime arrives. You won’t have to ask for a chance. They’ll be the ones asking you.
So invest in who you are and the intention behind what you do — not in appearances. Even when nobody seems to notice or value it.
That’s where the power is. It compounds. And it’s something no one can ever take away — no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.
