By David Rubenstein
At Hughes Marino, we often say our culture is the one thing we can never outsource. We’ve grown across the country, but what makes the company feel the same in every office isn’t a playbook; it’s our team. That’s what makes hiring one of the most important things we do, and it’s why I care so much about getting it right.
After interviewing thousands of candidates for Hughes Marino—and tens of thousands throughout my career—I’ve learned that the best hires are rarely the ones with the most polished resumes. Experience and technical skills matter, and a resume can tell me where someone has been. What it can’t tell me is how they think, how they communicate or how they approach a challenge. Those things show up off the paper: in how a candidate prepares before we meet, the questions they ask when we talk and the way they follow through afterward. As small as they seem, those moments are usually a preview of how someone will do the work, support their colleagues and take care of our clients long after the interview is over.
Ownership Starts Before Day One
One of the first things I notice has nothing to do with experience. It’s whether someone takes ownership of the interview process itself, and what I love to see is initiative. When a candidate helps coordinate scheduling, comes in with thoughtful questions ready or follows up without being prompted, it tells me they’re already invested. It’s never a mark against someone who waits for direction, but the people who take those small steps on their own tend to bring that same energy to everything they do.
The same pattern shows up when I ask about projects that didn’t go as planned. The strongest candidates don’t start by explaining why someone else was responsible. They acknowledge their role, what they learned and what they’d do differently. Accountability isn’t about having a perfect track record; it’s about owning the moments that aren’t perfect.
These behaviors often translate directly into the workplace. Whether someone is supporting our advisors, managing a construction project or working with clients, success comes from thinking ahead, anticipating needs and adding value before someone has to ask.
Curiosity Says More Than Confidence
I’ve interviewed candidates with exceptional resumes who spent the entire interview asking about compensation, hours and benefits. While those are fair questions, the candidates who stand out to me are usually the ones already thinking about how they can contribute. They ask what training looks like, how different teams work together, what a typical day really feels like and how they can create value for our clients and our company.
That curiosity doesn’t disappear once someone is hired. The people who keep asking thoughtful questions are usually the ones who keep learning and finding better ways to support teammates and clients.
A Resume Tells Me What You’ve Done, A Conversation Tells Me Who You Are
Something that surprises candidates is that I don’t immediately jump into technical questions. I spend the first few minutes simply having a conversation. We might talk about the weekend, a recent vacation or something happening in the background. It’s not small talk. It’s the fastest way to see how someone actually thinks and naturally communicates.
Hughes Marino is a client-facing professional services firm, and across every department, our teammates build relationships. Technical skills are the foundation of the work, but they’re only part of what makes someone successful. The ability to communicate clearly, build trust and connect with clients matters just as much.
Those few minutes reveal how someone naturally engages with people in a way a resume never could. As technology reshapes hiring, those kinds of authentic conversations have become even more valuable.
Hiring Shapes More Than Your Team
If I could offer one piece of advice to other business leaders, it would be to stay involved in hiring. It can be tempting to delegate hiring to HR or department managers, but those decisions shape your culture for years to come.
At Hughes Marino, our leaders meet with candidates early in the process, not just at the end. Those conversations help candidates understand where we’re headed while giving our leadership team insight into what motivates each person beyond what’s written on a resume.
Every formal interview also includes a conversation about our company, structure and core values. Those aren’t simply talking points; they are the principles we rely on when making decisions and solving problems.
What This Means for Our Clients
We’ve built this discipline into our hiring process because our business is built on trust, and trust is not something you can evaluate after the fact. When a client chooses Hughes Marino, they are not just hiring a company; they are trusting the judgment, expertise and character of the people representing them throughout their real estate journey.
Everyone who joins our team carries a responsibility that extends beyond their role. The same thoughtfulness and scrutiny we apply before bringing someone on board helps ensure our clients are supported by people who take ownership, think ahead and create value at every step.
That’s why we treat every hire with such care. The strongest candidates aren’t always the ones with the most impressive credentials; they’re the ones who show ownership, curiosity and a genuine desire to create value for the people around them. Get that right, and you’re not just filling a role. You’re protecting the culture that clients feel in every interaction and the reason our team continues to do its best work. For any business leader, that is worth slowing down for.
