Reed Hastings on Hiring

The best thing you can do for employees — a perk better than foosball or free sushi — is hire only 'A' players to work alongside them. Excellent colleagues trump everything.

Adequate performance gets a generous severance package. We want stars in every position.

Netflix does not do multi-round gauntlet interviews. The hiring manager owns the decision. They talk to the candidate, check references proactively, and make the call. No hiring committees, no design-by-committee.

Before making a hire, Netflix managers call former colleagues of the candidate — not the references the candidate provides, but people the manager finds independently.

What would you do in your first 30 days in this role, and how would you know if it was working?

Tell me about a time you made a big bet that didn't work out. What happened and what did you learn?

Someone who thrives with freedom and can self-direct. People who need to be told what to do will drown at Netflix — and that's not their fault, it's a fit question.

Candidates who ask detailed questions about rules, approval processes, and hierarchy. That's a sign they want structure that Netflix deliberately doesn't provide.

Do not tolerate brilliant jerks. The cost to teamwork is too high.

Do they talk about 'I' or 'we'? Top performers are specific about their personal contribution without diminishing the team. Mediocre candidates either take all the credit or hide behind the group.

Watch for how they handle disagreement during the interview itself. If you push back on something they say, do they cave immediately, get defensive, or engage thoughtfully? That tells you everything about how they'll behave in your culture.

Apply the 'keeper test': if this person told you they were leaving for a competitor, would you fight hard to keep them? If not, give them a generous severance now and find someone you would fight for.

Use the 'sunshining' technique: before making a hiring decision, share your thinking openly with the team. Say 'here's what I'm leaning towards and why.' This prevents secret politics and forces you to articulate your reasoning.