How Employers Test Candidates | The Internet Protocol

Nowadays, to find a perfect candidate for a job, it is not enough to look at a person’s CV and conduct a standard job interview. Employers need to be inventive. And most of their methods are so “innocent” that an applicant can fail these psychological tests without even knowing or noticing it. Here are some of the most common tricks.

1. The Boss Makes You Wait a Long Time

The first trick is about timing. Imagine a situation when an interview for a candidate is scheduled for 9 am. The sleepy candidate arrives at the office on time, but it turns out that the employer is still busy. Hence, the poor person needs to wait another 10 minutes, and then another 10, and another 10…

This trick can show how emotionally stable the candidate is in stressful situations and, in general, how much he/she wants to get this position.

2. You Are Offered a Cup of Coffee (for a Reason)

The "Coffee Mug" test is gaining popularity among employers: at the beginning of the interview, the boss offers coffee to the applicant. And after the meeting, the employer carefully observes what the candidate will do with this mug: whether he/she will ask where to put it, leave it on the table, or wash it in the kitchen.

This trick speaks about a person's character and manners more than merely answering questions. Therefore, in this case, you better drop in the kitchen after the interview and wash the mug yourself.

3. The Interviewer Suddenly Shouts

Raising one’s voice, screaming, and even insulting is another simulation of a stressful situation as well as an opportunity to test the candidate's nerves for strength. Experts advise to remain calm and answer questions as cool-headed as possible.

4. The Future Boss Gives You Quite Strange Tasks, for Example, to Jump out of the Window

Another unpleasant surprise for the applicant may be an unusual request – for example, to jump out of the window. In this case, the employer wants to see the candidate's ability to think outside the box.

You can get out of this situation: climb onto the windowsill, but jump down to the floor in the office – no one said where to land, right? Or disarm the boss by asking a question with a win-win option, "What benefit will my jump bring to the company?"

5. The Employer Suddenly Begins to Behave Inappropriately

Another technique is the strange behavior of the interviewers who can ignore applicants with their noses buried in the computer. They also can answer calls in the middle of an interview or even go out and leave applicants alone in the office.

This trick can show how the candidate will attract attention and what solutions he/she will find. One of the valid options is to speak to the administrator to postpone the interview to another day.

6. The Candidate Is Introduced to the Whole Team

It is possible that after the interview, the boss may invite the applicant to communicate with his/her potential colleagues in the office or in a specific situation. It is not just a polite gesture – this way, the employer wants to hear other employees’ opinions on the candidate.

7. The Boss Drops a Pen on the Floor

The "pen drop" test can help the employer identify responsive and friendly candidates. The boss "accidentally" drops a pen to see the applicant's reaction. If the interviewee immediately and instinctively bends down to pick up the pen, he/she passes the test; if the candidate allows the employer to raise the pen – they don’t.