Podcast Summary: Afford Anything – "What If Everything We Know About Hiring Is Wrong?" with William Vanderbloemen
Host: Paula Pant
Guest: William Vanderbloemen, CEO of Vanderbloemen Search Group
Release Date: November 21, 2025
Focus: Rethinking hiring, career fit, and personal wiring; adapting workplaces in the age of agility and purpose-driven work.
Episode Overview
This episode explores a bold idea: the hidden, behavioral patterns we overlook often predict workplace fit and future success better than experience, credentials, or interview skills. William Vanderbloemen, after thousands of executive placements, presents research-backed insights that challenge the traditional approach to hiring — for leaders, jobseekers, and anyone thinking critically about career satisfaction and personal strengths.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Pomeranian Analogy: Why Fit Matters More Than Aspirations
- Timestamp: 02:42 – 06:30
- William shares his observation: “You'd never ask a Pomeranian to be a guard dog.” A humorous reflection on his own miniature poodle illustrates how people, too, are “wired” for specific kinds of work.
- “Too many people hate their job and too many managers think that the people that work for them aren’t any good at their job.” (05:01, B)
- The magic happens when dreams match one’s natural wiring.
2. Midlife Career Change & The End of Single-Track Careers
- Timestamp: 07:01 – 08:49
- It’s never too late to pivot. William discusses how modern careers no longer require 40-years in one role.
- “You'd be surprised how many people have picked up the idea of changing careers in their 50s even.” (07:32, B)
- Millennials led the way in normalizing career changes; now, it’s possible for anyone.
3. “12 Lanes” – Discovering Your Professional Wiring
- Timestamp: 09:34 – 18:00
- William and his team aggregated data from 4,000+ searches to identify 12 habits of “unicorns” (top performers who both excel and enjoy their jobs).
- These lanes are tied to behavioral tendencies, not credentials; understanding them can lead to better-fit careers and happier work lives.
4. The Vander Index & Assessment Methodology
- Timestamp: 12:55 – 16:44
- Developed a 15-minute assessment (The Vander Index) to map which of the 12 behavioral lanes a person is most wired for.
- Combined assessments: Vander Index + DISC + Enneagram for triangulation.
- “...the humans that can relate to other humans well are the ones that are going to be the gold standard.” (13:22, B)
- Not just theory—HR departments in Fortune 500s and high schools alike have leveraged this framework.
5. Deep Dive: Highlighting 6 of the 12 Lanes
a) Fast
- Timestamp: 18:59 – 23:04
- Some people can’t resist getting back to others instantly. These “fast” types thrive where speed and responsiveness is valued (e.g., sales, emergency medicine).
- “It’s so chronic they can’t help it. So text them at 9:30 at night...Just see what happens.” (23:04, B)
- Response time is a strong, objective marker for this wiring.
b) Self-Aware
- Timestamp: 30:19 – 35:26
- Most people overestimate self-awareness (“93% of people said they were above average at it”—31:51, B), but those who are truly self-aware recognize their limits.
- Reflective, observant; can usually articulate what roles fit and don’t fit them.
c) Agile
- Timestamp: 35:43 – 42:46
- Agility is about adaptability—welcoming change, quickly learning new things.
- “The shadow side of agility is ADD and shiny object syndrome, but the value side is people who love to try new things.” (35:58, B)
- Agility atrophies if not exercised, like physical flexibility. Crucial in fast-changing fields (e.g., marketing, tech).
d) Perfectionist
- Timestamp: 42:46 – 46:31
- Often seen as negative, but perfectionism can be a superpower in “must be right” roles (e.g., brain surgeon, accountant, engineer).
- “You want your brain surgeon to be OCD.” (43:35, B)
- Perfectionists struggle in roles with ambiguous outcomes or creative processes.
e) Purpose-Driven
- Timestamp: 46:31 – 50:02
- Some workers need meaning and alignment with a mission.
- “Some people are wired to want to do work that they believe deeply matters.” (46:31, B)
- Not every job offers this, but for those who need it, mission matters more than metrics.
f) Curious
- Timestamp: 57:31 – 60:50
- Innate questioners, always seeking how things work, make great researchers, consultants, and problem solvers.
- Key for roles requiring synthesis, pattern recognition, and questioning the status quo.
6. Practical Hiring Tips & Assessment Strategies
- Timestamp: 23:04 – 26:50
- The “interview” is not limited to a 1-hour conversation; every point of contact is data.
- Example: Test “fast” by contacting outside normal hours; test “agility” by last-minute changes.
- “If they're wired that way, they won’t be able to help it.” (25:07, B)
7. How Many Lanes Fit One Person?
- Timestamp: 50:02 – 51:06
- Most people map clearly to 2–3 dominant lanes; claiming all is usually a red flag.
8. Team Fit, Organization Size, and Company Culture
- Timestamp: 52:27 – 67:04
- Culture isn’t just a poster on the wall (see: Enron). Ask employees for real stories.
- Size matters: Small companies need agility; big companies may have rigid, highly specific roles.
- “Every day a company’s alive, especially if it’s growing, it gets less flexible.” (53:28, B)
9. Remote Work & The Challenge of Culture
- Timestamp: 67:04 – 69:51
- It’s harder to instill and sustain strong culture in remote teams.
- Hybrid and fully in-person environments may be better for reinforcing values and behavioral norms.
10. Mid/Late Career Pivots—Is Retraining Necessary?
- Timestamp: 73:20 – 75:49
- Not always; human-to-human and behavioral skills can unlock new roles without heavy retraining.
- Volunteer work, management, and coordination roles can harness your wiring with minimal reskilling.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On job fit:
“The magic happens when the dream matches your wiring.” (04:42, B) -
On speed as a key predictor:
“If the form comes in and you get back to them within 60 seconds, you have a 98% chance or better of talking to that person. If you wait 20 minutes, it drops to 60%. If you wait 24 hours, it drops to 1%.” (25:07, B) -
On self-awareness:
“93% of people said they were very good at self-awareness. I don't have a math degree, but I'm pretty sure there's not a group on the planet where 93% are above average.” (31:51, B) -
On agility:
“Every day you’re alive, you get less flexible. That’s true of business teams, too.” (41:17, B) -
On perfectionism as a superpower:
“You want your brain surgeon to be OCD. Oh, that’s right.” (43:35, B) -
On authenticity and flexibility:
“If you can change skins quickly... politicians, a lot of really great salespeople can become whatever they need to walk into, to make a human connection and sell a good.” (70:40, B)
Important Segment Timestamps
- Quick overview & dog analogy: 02:42 – 06:30
- Career pivots after 40: 07:01 – 08:49
- Explaining the 12 lanes: 09:34 – 18:00
- Vander Index methodology: 12:55 – 16:44
- Deep dive into “Fast” and real-life hiring tips: 18:59 – 23:04
- Agility explained and why it atrophies: 35:43 – 42:46
- Purpose-Driven lane: 46:31 – 50:02
- Company size and culture impact: 52:27 – 67:04
- Remote vs. in-person for culture: 67:04 – 69:51
- Advice for midlife career changers: 73:20 – 75:49
Key Takeaways
1. Behavioral Traits Trump Credentials:
- “Fast” responders and other quietly observable habits predict workplace fit and contribution more powerfully than resumes or interview answers.
- As a hiring manager, observe not just formal responses, but every “in between” behavioral clue during the process.
2. Know Your Lane – and Honor How You’re Wired:
- Take assessments, reflect, or read descriptions of the “12 lanes.” Fit brings fulfillment; misfit brings misery, even for high performers.
3. Adapt for Agility and Purpose—But Recognize Limits:
- Some habits (like agility) need to be actively maintained or developed to keep up with modern work.
- There’s no shame in being “wired” differently; just seek a lane and environment where your natural style is needed and valued.
4. Cultural Alignment Is Critical—Ask for Stories, Not Just Slogans:
- Company values must be lived, not just posted; probe for examples that demonstrate real culture fit during interviews.
5. Late-Career Reinvention is Possible—Skills May Be More Transferable Than You Assume:
- Most humans hate idleness. With self-knowledge, you can find meaningful roles (often without a degree or complete retraining).
Conclusion & Further Resources
- Vanderbloemen’s work and assessment tools can be found by searching “Vanderbloemen”—spelling doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Read his books for practical charts of jobs mapped to “lanes” and advice for both jobseekers and managers.
- For continued discussion, subscribe to the Afford Anything newsletter.
This episode challenges listeners to stop trusting only resumes or experience, and instead unlock the hidden clues in how people are wired and behave—because that’s where job satisfaction and success actually begin.