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SamCtrlPlusAltMan
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OpenAI • 3m
Why Silicon Valley's Most Powerful Founding Team Broke Every Hiring Rule PayPal Mafia isn't just another success story, it's arguably the most influential founding team in tech history, spawning companies like Tesla, LinkedIn, YouTube and others with a combined market cap exceeding $2 trillion. But what made them truly exceptional? Their radical approach to talent. At PayPal, conventional hiring wisdom was thrown out the window. You were immediately DISQUALIFIED if: - You had an MBA - You wore a suit to your interview - You emphasized "years of experience" on your resume - You highlighted the prestige of your previous employer or university - You preferred basketball over chess Their core philosophy was simple yet revolutionary: to build truly disruptive companies, you need misfits who think differently. While many PayPal founders attended elite institutions, they recognized credentials alone meant nothing. They struggled finding like-minded talent precisely because their networks were filled with pedigreed individuals who lacked genuine critical thinking skills. Today's talent market feels backward, too focused on brand names, starting salaries, and degrees. Didn't land at a prestigious college or company? That might be your advantage. The best people in tech aren't obsessing over credentials. They're too busy building the future.
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