Taxi drivers decide hiring? CEO of a billion-dollar company explains unusual interview test that can make or break a job offer

Luis von Ahn revealed an unusual hiring practice used at his billion-dollar company, Duolingo. Speaking on the podcast The Burnouts, he explained how taxi drivers play a surprising role in evaluating top executive candidates.

During the discussion, Ahn said, “At Duolingo taxi drivers determine if candidates get hired.” He went on to share a real incident from the company’s hiring process.

Candidate Rejected Over Behaviour

Recalling the experience, Ahn said, “We were trying to hire a chief financial officer for a year and there was one candidate we all really liked.” Despite the candidate’s impressive resume and strong suitability for the role, the company ultimately chose not to move forward.

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The reason, he explained, was that the candidate was “pretty mean” to the cab driver during the ride from the airport to the Duolingo office.

What It Reveals About Character

Explaining the reasoning behind the decision, Ahn said, “If they are going to me mean to the driver, they’re probably be mean to other people too, especially the people working under them.”

He further added, “Sometimes the biggest interview answers never happen in the room, it happens in the car ride over when they think no one important is watching.”

Social Media Reactions

The story quickly resonated online, with many users praising the approach. One person commented, “That’s a smart move.” Another wrote, “100% says a lot about who you are - how you treat people when no one is watching!” while a third added, “Love this.”