Accenture Boss Julie Sweet's Simple Question Determines Who Gets Hired—And It's Not About AI Skills

In today's job market, mastering AI skills might seem like the golden ticket to getting hired. But at tech consultancy Accenture ACN, CEO Julie Sweet relies on a surprisingly simple question to spot top talent. And no, it has nothing to do with AI expertise.

The One Question That Separates Hires From Rejects

In a recent interview on the "In Good Company" podcast with Norges Bank Investment Management CEO Nicolai Tangen, Sweet shared her go-to interview question: "What have you learned in the last six months?"

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Her reasoning is straightforward. If a candidate struggles to answer, it's an instant red flag. "A lot of the time people ask me, ‘How do I know if someone's a learner?' And it's a very simple way to know," Sweet explained. 

"If someone can't answer that question—and by the way, we don't care if it's, ‘I learned to bake a cake'—then we know that they're not a learner."

Her response highlights a fundamental shift in hiring strategies. Companies no longer just want employees with a strong resume; they want dynamic, adaptable thinkers who actively seek out new knowledge.

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AI Is Reshaping How Companies Hire

Sweet's focus on learning isn't just a quirky interview technique—it reflects a broader transformation happening across industries. The rise of generative AI has upended job descriptions, forcing companies to rethink the qualities they value in employees.

Sweet recently shared that she had met with 30 CEOs across various regions, including Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the U.S., discussing AI's growing role in business. She noted that while some companies are ready to implement AI solutions, others are still exploring its potential. 

But rather than prioritizing technical know-how, she believes the best employees are those who can quickly adapt to AI-driven changes.

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LinkedIn Chief Operating Officer Daniel Shapero echoed this sentiment last June in an interview with Fortune. His approach? He asks candidates how they've used AI in their daily work to gauge their willingness to experiment with new technology.

"What that demonstrates is, if you're comfortable using AI, then you're more likely to be someone that helps their organization become more AI-centric," Shapero explained. 

A New Era for HR Departments

As companies scramble to keep up with technological advances, HR departments are becoming more crucial than ever. Sweet believes HR is now one of the most important fields to be in because, aside from AI, talent development is at the top of every CEO's agenda.

"I think the best thing to be right now, one of the best fields to be in, is HR," Julie Sweet told   Fortune last week. "Because right after gen AI on CEOs' agendas is talent, and how you train talent has to completely change."

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