Harvard MBA Michael Bloomberg says ideal hire isn’t an Ivy Leaguer — it’s the kid working 3 McDonald’s shifts to support his siblings

Speaking at Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses panel in 2016 along with Warren Buffett, Lloyd Blankfein and Jack Dorsey, Bloomberg made it clear who he would prefer to hire — and the answer wasn’t what you might expect. In fact, his comments went viral on X in October 2026 because they were unusual.

Since Michael Bloomberg owns a majority stake in Bloomberg, L.P., which has over 26,000 employees, his advice isn’t just theoretical. It’s likely shaped by years of on-the-ground experience. So it’s worth listening to his advice whether you’re a worker or hiring manager navigating a rapidly changing marketplace.

Bloomberg said this is the best hire — and it’s not who you think

At the Goldman Sachs panel, Bloomberg made clear he believes getting the “right” people is critical to business success.

“I’ve always said I would like to hire the person whose father never was there, whose mother was in a drug treatment program and he had to work three shifts at McDonald’s to go take care of his siblings,” Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg also explained why he believes this type of candidate is best, stating at the panel that “that’s the kind of person you want — somebody that just, no matter how bad things are, looks on the bright side, takes the bull by the horns, puts in the sweat capital.”

Finally, he said his company shouldn’t be the only one that values hard work over credentials. Others should, too.

Does hard work or a degree matter more?

Bloomberg’s advice makes good sense. Someone working multiple jobs to support a family clearly shows initiative and a go-getter attitude. If they’re doing this in difficult circumstances, without parental guidance, they most likely have some business savvy and could be a positive force.

Unfortunately, while this may be a good idea in theory, the premise could be very hard to execute in practice.