We have read or heard about strange questions/tests during job interviews.
An interviewer giving a pen to a candidate and asking him/her to sell that pen to him (interviewer).
How many basketballs can fit on a bus?
What would you do if your boss asks you to lie?
The CEO of a company invites the job candidate to breakfast — but arrives at the restaurant early, pulls the manager aside, and says, "I want you to mess up the order of the person who's going to be joining me. It'll be OK, and I'll give a good tip, but mess up their order."
He wanted to see how they deal adversity. Are they timid and do not say anything. Or, are they rude to the waiter or politely and respectfully point out the mistake to the waiter.
And now, I just read about another strange interview technique. A boss uses a coffee cup test to filter candidates. He would ask the candidate to walk along with him to the office kitchen. Offer him coffee or tea or water or soft drink. Then they would walk back to the interview room. At the end of the interview, the boss would watch if the candidate takes the empty cup back to the office kitchen. If the candidate does not take the cup back to the kitchen, he will not be hired.
In an interview that boss said: "What I was trying to find was what was the lowest level task I could find that regardless of what you do inside the organization was still super important."
Personally, to me, if an employer plays a mind game like that, it’s an immediate red flag for me.
My question is what if the candidate refuses any drink! How he would have judged the candidate?
In my culture, if I am the host, I will not allow the guest to take the empty cup to the kitchen and wash it. I will do that myself.
In my opinion, that hiring manager is a below average manager and is building a toxic work environment. Looks like he lacks the skill to do a proper interview, he tries to compensate with a power play.
Psychological games do not get the best employees.
What do you think?
To each their own.... I was once asked during an interview how would I make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich....
ReplyDeleteI literally explain how I would make it and asked if they wanted it cut diagonally or in the middle ( they mentioned they asked the question to find out if I followed instructions and asked the right questions back)
They also asked if I wished to be a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in. Small pond....I chose the first as it would give me more room to swim....I did clear the interview....
I dont think of it a power play....I think nowadays softskills are more important than work knowledge....if you are arrogant and not humble.... no one wants you.....
Thanks for your comments Dee. I am glad you cleared the interview. That question (how to make a PB&J Sandwich) is a culturally biased question. What if a candidate from a third world country who is brilliant and even corrected a few mistakes in the Facebook software algorithm (and got rewarded for that) but unable to explain how to make a PB&J sandwich because his family never made that sandwich. All they had was rice, rasam, and appalam. That makes him unfit for a software engineer job?
DeleteHope you are doing well . Interesting post . Have been on both sides few years back . I have a lot of such experiences and some are very baseless and funny what to do :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Shilpa. I am ok.
DeleteHere, my interview questions were professional and straight forward. I didn't face any strange questions.
ReplyDeleteActually, interviews should be more of a dialog between the employer and the employee, instead of it being some kind of a quiz. Both need to match each other in order to fit.
In one company, since I was frank that I didn't want the particular position I was interviewed for - because of the job profile, they referred me to another employer where I got the job. Had I got that initial job, both of us would have been unhappy!
Thanks for your comments Rajesh. I agree with you. Interview should be a two way dialogue.
Deletei know of one queer instance of a young lady who turned out to be the best among the interviewees was rejected for the reason her fetching beauty would be a distraction in the open office!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Mr. KP. Probably the manager knew about the men working in his office. Just kidding.
DeleteYes, the lady candidate was fair & attractive & thus was rejected! It was a news :)
DeleteInteresting interviews!
ReplyDeleteThis is the age of competition & many want & apply for the same job!
Such techniques may filter out the candidates.
Maybe the manager is looking for candidates, who will fit the rest of the office-group.
Thanks for your comments Anita. I think looking if a candidate washes the empty coffee cup is ridiculous.
DeletePsychology does help to find the right candidate in many cases. But I guess psychology can't as silly as taking coffee mug back to kitchen!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Tomichan. And, welcome to my blog. You are correct. This test about taking coffee mug to the kitchen is silly.
DeleteTomichan, please visit here as often as possible. Thanks.
I attended an IT interview and they asked me to write a virus.
ReplyDeleteI gave the reply while(). While and no arguments.
I was rejected by potato lobby of US IT.
Thanks for your comments Kirtivasan. Since I am not an IT guy, do I do not understand your reply. But, if they rejected you, it is their loss.
DeleteRules and manners differ as per the nation and even the company. so, we cannot mark a tick to certain behaviour and a cross to certain other. The interviewee's knowledge and calibre can be tested by asking theoretical questions. Some will shine like any stone if a chance is offered to one. Nice write-up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Sarala. Theoretical questions are fine. But psychological games like taking coffee mug to the kitchen is stupid to me.
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