Rohit Kapoor, the CEO of Swiggy Food Marketplace, has shared his hiring philosophy, saying that building a strong team goes far beyond ticking boxes on a checklist. Speaking on a recent episode of the Josh Talks Podcast, Mr Kapoor detailed the four qualities he values the most in prospective team members pointing out the importance of drive, ambition, and an intangible “X-factor.”
Qualities Swiggy CEO looks for in an employee
- Resilience – Mr Kapoor believes the best candidates have encountered and overcome adversity—not just in the workplace, but in life. “I want to know how they react to it not just at a workplace but in life and how they handled the shock,” he explained. For Kapoor, the ability to bounce back from setbacks is a clear indicator of potential and long-term value.
- Drive – The second quality he seeks is genuine drive. The entrepreneur questioned whether candidates are truly committed to achieving big things or if they’re merely skilled at discussing grand plans. “You can hand someone an opportunity, but you can’t make them hungry for it,” he remarked, adding while technical skills can be taught, the raw desire to succeed cannot.
- Ambition – Mr Kapoor values ambition. But he is not looking for individuals simply aspiring to top positions. Instead, he seeks those who are determined to progress and make a tangible impact. “Not in the way that you want to be a CEO but do you have the ambition to move forward and prosper?” he clarified, adding that a forward-thinking mindset is essential for growth within the company.
- “X-Factor” – The most intriguing of Mr Kapoor’s criteria may be the search for an “X-factor.” To illustrate his point, he shared an anecdote: “If I am stuck with someone at the airport for three hours because my flight is late, will I have to run away from them or can I sit with them and talk?” This simple test, he explained, is a measure of a candidate’s natural charm and interpersonal skills – qualities that can often set one candidate apart from another in a crowded field.
“Hiring is more art than science. You can have all the checklists in the world, but at the end of the day, teams aren’t built on bullet points, they’re built on people,” Mr Kapoor said.
Last year, Rohit Kapoor spoke out against the toxic “hustle culture.” He dismissed the glorification of working until 3 AM, calling it unsustainable and unnecessary. He stressed that while hard work is essential, it should not come at the cost of one’s well-being.
Rohit Kapoor, who joined Swiggy as CEO in 2022, has a career spanning over two decades, with leadership roles at McKinsey, Max Healthcare, and OYO.
