“The Interview Question They Never Expected”

Breaking the Tie

I once heard about a company that was hiring a senior executive. They narrowed the search to a handful of candidates. The shining star finalists were evenly matched.

Solid leadership.

Strong references.

Sharp interviews.

Would the hiring team have to draw a name from a hat? Or would they find another way to break this logjam?

The Question They Never Expected

The hiring team thought of a brilliant idea. They contacted the custodial staff at each company where the candidates currently worked. “What do you think about this person?”

How did this aspiring senior executive treat those at the bottom of the wage scale? How did she or he treat those who cleaned the building, bathrooms, and grounds?

One candidate received far different feedback than the others.

He knew all their names and asked about their families.

He thanked them regularly for a job well done. Who wants to do business with a company that doesn’t care enough to keep its facilities tidy?

         

Those custodians told the hiring team he made them feel important. He treated everybody like that. It didn't matter if the other person wore a tailored suit, business casual, or a uniform with their name on the pocket.

Guess who became that company’s new senior executive?

David