Some people often ask unusual interview questions. Some use their own interviewing techniques. Some people check your car’s condition. Others ask very aggressive questions, even questions that upset you.
Deciding who to hire is both a decision and a science, as well as an art.
Take Thomas Edison as an example. When interviewing candidates for a research assistant position, he always gives them a bowl of soup.
When interviewing candidates for the assistant position, Edison always gave them a bowl of soup.
Why? Because he wanted to see if they added salt or pepper to the soup before tasting it.
Those who have added seasoning to the soup will be disqualified . Edison wants to work with people who don’t pretend, don’t pretend, because pretenders tend to kill innovation.
Many people use small tests as part of their evaluation process. For years, I’ve been using a “strategy” that I call “receptionist checks.” What candidates do while they wait in the hallway can tell you a lot about them. So I always asked the receptionist how she was treated. I found out what they were doing while they waited in the lobby and I learned how they treated the people around them who they didn’t have to try to impress.
Edison wanted to see if they added salt or pepper to the soup before tasting it.
After all, a nice guy in the lobby may not be a good guy at work, but a dumb guy in the lobby will always be a work idiot.
Or you can use your own version of Chad Knaus to “check the car” (my quote notation). Chad – team leader, has won the NASCAR Sprint Championship 6 times in Chevrolet race #48. Every candidate has an emotional test before the interview.
“There are no good or bad outcomes,” Chad said. “ For example, whether an individual is introverted or extroverted does not affect their ability to do the job. Large groups are made up of all individual components. What the EI test does is give me a sense of how I can better connect these people.”
After the interview, Chad sometimes accompanied the candidates to the parking lot to say goodbye… and check their cars.
Sometimes candidates will have to go through a arduous “test” that is… car inspection.
“I don’t care what kind of car they drive,” Chad said. “Old, new, expensive, cheap,… it doesn’t matter. But I do care if they take care of their car or not. If the wrapping paper is on the seat, if the car is not clean or well maintained… I think if you don’t take good care of your things, you won’t take good care of their job either. I”.
Chad’s auto test is a test to gauge whether a candidate fits the group or overall culture of the Hendrick organization.
Think about what’s most important in your organization, creating your own way of testing your cultural fit. Whatever you do, your goal is to know more about the candidate so you can make the best hiring decisions. Think of it as another way to find potential candidates, to show they are the best fit for the position and your business.
The ideas above are not all, you can create many other unique ideas to make better hiring decisions for your business.