Rent the Runway co-founder and CEO Jennifer Hyman has one request for job candidates interviewing for her company: Be authentic.

“I’m looking for someone who can actually have a conversation with me off the page,” says Hyman, 44, who has run the clothing rental company since its founding in 2009. “I am going to ask you questions to get a sense of your personality … and how you think on your feet.”

Hyman isn’t interested in listening to candidates recite their resumes. Instead, she asks them about their industry, their last job’s competitors and what they would do differently if they ran their previous employer, she says.

The tactic helps her determine if the candidates can stay cool and communicate under pressure, says Hyman: “[In interviews], people are so trained to talk [through] their bullet points, their stories. If someone isn’t flustered by [nontraditional interview questions] and can have really strategic and thoughtful conversations … that’s a green flag for me.”

Hyman also looks for prospective employees who show a history of loyalty and mental resilience, especially in the face of challenges, she says. If a job candidate has “hopped around” between different jobs, that’s a red flag, she notes: “I don’t think you can make an impact anywhere until Year 2.”

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Rent the Runway is far from the only employer to value employees who are adaptable and cool-headed under pressure. Adaptability is an “increasingly in demand” soft skill across multiple industries, according to LinkedIn blog post last year. It’s the No. 1 trait that sets high achievers apart from other people, Harvard Business School professor Joseph Fuller told CNBC Make It last year.

“It’s a skill that can be rare to find,” said Fuller. “People are afraid to try new things and fail. But you can’t grow without moving beyond your comfort zone.”

Other hiring managers have different tactics to determine how people think on their feet. Kara Brothers, the president of skincare company Starface World, likes to gauge job candidates’ emotional intelligence and self-awareness by asking introspective questions, like “In your last workplace, what held you back?” she told CNBC Make It last year.

Brothers’ goal is to gauge the candidate’s flexibility and willingness to learn, she said.

“We all have an ego, but does your ego impede your ability to work effectively?” said Brothers. “I’m trying to figure out if you’re aware of when you’re at your best or where you might hold yourself back in professional relationships.

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