The article discusses the demanding interview process used by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos when hiring new employees. Candidates would go through multiple rounds of interviews, including with Bezos, who would thoroughly grill both the candidates and their interviewers. Bezos would create detailed charts listing candidates' qualifications and reject anyone he had doubts about. References were asked to describe candidates' greatest strengths and worst mistakes. Challenging questions tested problem-solving skills. The goal was to continually raise the bar for new hires so that the overall talent pool improved over time. Employees were expected to feel that they wouldn't be hired under later standards.