The exercise Elon Musk uses to spot talent— and how you can use it to prove your impact at work

The exercise Elon Musk uses to spot talent— and how you can use it to prove your impact at work Get better at: Highlighting your impactToday's moveProving your value requires more than listing tasks you completed. It means highlighting a moment where you did something that genuinely stood out, according to Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Get Better at Work Musk has a high bar for hiring and has repeatedly said he looks for "exceptional ability" in candidates. One way he assesses that is by asking candidates for three bullet points that demonstrate their talent, he said on the "Dwarkesh Podcast" in February.The Tesla CEO explained that he wants to hear someone cite one to three accomplishments that would lead the listener to say "wow."Why it worksMusk said that in a 2014 Auto Bild interview that college degrees aren't always indicative of the best talent. For example, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, or even Steve Jobs didn't graduate from college, he said.Musk went on to say that even if the bullet points of achievement are unrelated to the candidate's field, the goal is to find a record of extraordinary accomplishments."If there's a track record of exceptional achievement, then it's likely that that will continue into the future," Musk said.Try it todaySpend a few minutes thinking about three accomplishments that you're proud of. For each one, write down what you contributed, the impact it had, and any relevant metrics that show how valuable your contribution was.Make sure you bring that list to your next job interview, promotion conversation, or performance review.The bottom lineIf you want to prove your impact, you should aim to highlight an achievement that elicits some kind of "wow" response, and that is more likely to come from a specific story, rather than a summary of everything you have done during a six-month period. SourceThis insight is drawn from Business Insider's reporting on the famous three-bullet-point requirement that Musk has used, and how it applies to his search for trade workers to build AI centers. Read the full story about it from Natalie Musumeci here.It also includes excerpts from Musk's interview with Dwarkesh Patel in February, and his interview with Auto Bild in 2014.Have you tried the 3-bullet-point method? Tell us what you think of Elon's hiring approach in the comments below. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Ana writes about workplace trends, careers, and how AI is reshaping software engineering roles. She also regularly interviews C-suite executives about their trajectories and leadership insights.Ana is the host of "Get Better at Work," a series that offers advice about the habits and behaviors that can help workers stand out and build their careers. She also hosts "Work Shift," which breaks down the biggest workplace news of the week. She holds a master’s degree in multimedia journalism from NYU and has been featured on BBC, NPR, and other global media platforms.Have a tip? You can contact her via email at aaltchek@businessinsider.com or through the secure-messaging app Signal at aalt.19. Get Better at Work Elon Musk