Hiring-An Unconventional Way
In a recent interview with the New york Times, William D. Green, chairman and CEO of Accenture said the following regarding his hiring practices:
"I was recruiting at Babson College. This was in 1991. The last recruit of the day — I get this résumé. I get the blue sheet attached to it, which is the form I’m supposed to fill out with all this stuff and his résumé attached to the top. His résumé is very light — no clubs, no sports, no nothing. Babson, 3.2. Studied finance. Work experience: Sam’s Diner, references on request.
It’s the last one of the day, and I’ve seen all these people come through strutting their stuff and they’ve got their portfolios and semester studying abroad. Here comes this guy. He sits. His name is Sam, and I say: “Sam, let me just ask you. What else were you doing while you were here?” He says: “Well, Sam’s Diner. That’s our family business, and I leave on Friday after classes, and I go and work till closing. I work all day Saturday till closing, and then I work Sunday until I close, and then I drive back to Babson.” I wrote, “Hire him,” on the blue sheet.
He’s still with us, because he had character. He faced a set of challenges. He figured out how to do both."
____________________________________________________
Corner Office, Adam Bryant Interview, New York Times, November 22, 2009

Buffett would not find this at all unusual.
"Susan came to Borsheim's 25 years ago as a $4-an hour saleswoman. Though she lacked a managerial background, I did not hesitate to make her CEO in 1994. She's smart, she loves the business, and she loves her associates. That beats having an MBA degree any time.
(An aside, Charlie and I are not big fans of resumes. Instead, we focus on brains, passion and integrity. Another of our great managers is Cathy Baron Tamraz, who has significantly increased Business Wire's earnings since we purchased it in early 2006. She is an owner's dream. It is positively dangerous to stand between Cathy and a business prospect. Cathy, it should be noted, began her career as a cab driver.)"
______________________________________________________
Warren Buffett, 2007 Letter to Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders

How to Run a Company in 50 Words or Less

"If we are delighting customers, eliminating unnecessary costs and improving our products and services, we gain strength. But if we treat customers with indifference or tolerate bloat, our businesses will wither. On a daily basis, the effects of our actions are imperceptible; cumulatively, though, their consequences are enormous."
______________________________________________________
Warren Buffett, 2005 Letter to Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders