It is not easy to become an Apprentice Guide at Acton Academy, because it’s our most valuable position.

All Apprentice Guides go through the following eight step Hiring Funnel:

Step One.  Submit a resume, cover letter and answer three questions

Step Two.  An Email interview requiring extensive research about Acton Academy and answering six questions

Step Three.   A twenty minute phone interview with a Lead Guide

Step Four.  Read the Message to Garcia note about taking initiative and answer, “When have you been like Colonel Rowan?”

Step Five.  An on campus interview with the Head of School.

Step Six.  An Eagle panel interview and presentation of a Pathbrite portfolio and a personal Hero’s Story.

Step Seven.  A final interview with three guides.

Step Eight.  The Decision.

Why so much effort?  Because we only hire superstars who we believe will launch their own Acton Academy, after a three to four year apprenticeship.

In other words, our Apprentice Guides are not here to train Eagles, they are here to be prepared by Eagles to go out and change the world.

Which is the most telling step in the hiring process?  Step Eight, where the applicant must face a panel of Eagles.  Young people have an uncanny sense when an adult is “posing” and doesn’t really believe that each and every Eagle is a genius, who deserves a calling that will change the world.

In the last round of hiring, we started with 79 applicants.  Only three made it to Step Five.  Only one made it to Step Eight and received an offer.

Even the best companies are successful in hiring only thirty percent of the time.  So all of our Apprentice Guides go through a 180 trial period.   We hire slowly and carefully and remove someone quickly if it’s not a good fit.

Just one more lesson for our Eagles, as they prepare to assemble, lead and serve on teams of superstars themselves.