A Better Class of Interviewing

After my undergrad, I interviewed for a quality assurance company.

The interviewer asked me how a cake could be cut into 8 equal parts with only 3 slices.

He proceeded to draw a circle on a piece of paper. I focused too much on the circle & failed to realize that a cake is a 3D object. The correct solution warranted a horizontal cut through the middle.

After I flubbed that, the interviewer ended the session. I asked him what the right answer was. He smirked & asked me to look it up at home.

I'm not saying it was unfair.

However, I do believe in a better class of #interviewing.

I prefer to:

1. Ask questions that align closely with the "actual" job. I don't ask why a manhole cover is round because it seems irrelevant. While proponents of brain teasers will claim it tests IQ, I feel a familiar topic helps gauge job-fit much better.

2. A failed interview should still teach the candidate something. Helping someone improve is a great service.

3. Be respectful. If someone's not suitable, there's no need to humiliate them. Seek humility in the fact that we all were once unqualified for the role we currently have.

4. Give hints. We all need help every single day at work, then why expect anything different in an interview? Drop a clue. See if they run with the ball.