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As if we needed further reminders about why we already love billionaires, it’s hard to pop onto LinkedIn or indeed any social media platform now without being offered an insight into how very different and special they are compared to the rest of us primordial organisms.
The late Apple founder Steve Jobs is fast approaching mythic status for his outside of the box approach to just about everything from getting up in the morning, to chairing a meeting, to shopping for fruit.
And we all now remember his last words. Except of course, by dint of social media elevation they were very much not his last words. Doubtless if someone had counted, we would establish that more of his words have been shared since he powered down for good than while he was alive.
Apparently, he interviewed more than 5,000 candidates over his career. For multiple roles, it should be noted. He wasn’t just fussy. Clearly, he took his last name way too literally and was singularly unable to delegate.
Steve’s favored approach (because he was just a regular guy) was to invite his candidates down the pub for a chat. Yeah. That’s right. Talking. IN A PUB! You wouldn’t have thought of that would you? No. You’re not Steve Jobs.
And once he had returned from the bar, he would ask them “when was the last time you accomplished something?” And “What did you do last summer?” A go-to favorite for hairdressers and beauty technicians that last one.
Elon Musk (well, you might have guessed he would make an appearance) liked to ask this gem: “You're standing on the surface of the Earth. You walk one mile south, one mile west and one mile north. You end up exactly where you started. Where are you?”
You’re…one mile west of…where you were? The same direction Twitter went in when he took it over.
Peter Thiel, the Kiwi billionaire investor who co-founded PayPal, loves this one: "Tell me something that's true that almost nobody agrees with you on”.
Virgin founder Richard Branson likes: "What didn't make it onto your résumé?
The five years spent in a Supermax prison facility?
How to evaluate job candidates
Clearly, there’s an awful lot of eulogizing about literally anything CEOs of a certain value say.
Microsoft leader Bill Gates probably got nearer to the truth of it when he said: “[When I'm] dealing with hiring issues and management issues ... I always had to get other people to come in and help out who have a deep sensitivity as to how we were going to build up the team.”
Like, the HR department you mean? Bill Gates delegates.
These unconventional interview techniques are great for an attention-grabbing LinkedIn post, but do they really offer a superior way to evaluate job candidates?
Let's face it, there is something undeniably alluring about these offbeat approaches. They paint a picture of visionary leaders who can spot talent with a single, quirky question, as if they possess some innate knowledge that allows them to peer into a candidate's soul and divine their true potential.
On the surface, it seems brilliant. It is meant to reveal independent thinking, courage in one's convictions, and the ability to articulate unpopular ideas. Who wouldn't want an employee with those qualities?
But here's the thing: while these techniques might occasionally strike gold, they are far from foolproof. In fact, they come with a host of potential problems that might make traditional HR professionals break out in a cold sweat.
For starters, how do you compare candidates when you're asking them about their preferred superpowers? It's a bit like trying to judge a bake-off where one person made a cake, and another brought in a hand-knitted sweater. They are both impressive in their own way, but hardly comparable.
Then there is the very real risk of unconscious bias. When you're asking highly personal or abstract questions, it's all too easy to favor candidates who think like you or share your sense of humor. Before you know it, you've built a team of clones rather than a diverse group of talented individuals.
And let's not forget the stress factor. Sure, some people thrive under pressure, but others might freeze up when asked about garden gnomes in a job interview. Are you really getting an accurate picture of their abilities, or just their capacity to handle absurdist improv?
Most importantly, many of these questions have little to do with actual job performance. Knowing how someone would handle a gifted elephant is amusing, but it is unlikely to predict how they will handle a project deadline or a difficult client.
The myth about leadership
The bigger issue here is the myth of the maverick leader. It makes for great headlines and even better biopics. But successful hiring is usually the result of careful planning, structured processes, and collaborative efforts.
That's not to say there is no place for creativity in the interview process. A dash of unconventional thinking can certainly liven things up and potentially reveal aspects of a candidate's personality that might otherwise remain hidden. But it should be the sizzle, not the steak.
So, what is the alternative? A more balanced approach that combines the best of both worlds. Start with a solid foundation of standardized, job-relevant questions and assessments. These give you a baseline for comparing candidates objectively. Then, if you want to throw in a curveball or two, go for it. Just make sure they are relevant to the role or the company culture.
Consider skills-based testing that directly relates to job requirements. Use behavioral interviewing techniques to understand how candidates have handled real situations in the past. Involve multiple team members in the process to get diverse perspectives. And above all, have clear, predetermined criteria for evaluating candidates.
The truth is there is no shortcut to building a great team. It takes time, effort, and a willingness to look beyond the surface. The next time you hear about a billionaire's one weird trick for hiring, take it with a pinch of salt.
Remember, their success is due to a whole host of factors, not just their interviewing prowess.
In the end, the best hiring strategy is not about finding the most unusual question to ask. It's about creating a process that consistently identifies and nurtures talent, regardless of whether they can solve a brain teaser or pick the perfect crayon color.
In the real world, it's not about how well you interview, and it is certainly not about net worth – it's about how well you can do the job.
