Our resident corporate Agony Uncle, CEO Ken Cheng, tackles business challenges – so you don’t have to
Q. What interview questions do you ask to get the most of your candidates? Do you tend to test them mentally or psychologically? – Sharon, Duxford
A. I always start with a typical quant question. I ask them something about there being 1000 vials of liquid in a room and only one being poisoned. Then I ask them to find a way to find the poisoned one.
They spend maybe 20-30 minutes exploring different methods and then decide on some answer.
I reply, “okay, do it.”
I take them to a new chamber where they are confronted with 1000 liquids. They must put their money where their mouth is, then drink a vial they think is not poisoned. Suddenly, the interview question has some real stakes to it.
The candidate usually tenses up but gets on with the task. When it comes to actually drinking the vial, they always hesitate for a split second. That hesitation is enough to know that they will not do what it takes, i.e. drink poison because their boss told them to.
Most bosses deal only in hypotheticals. I say there is no point asking about poison unless you are willing to procure it.
The twist: every single vial was actually poisoned. Just a light poison that won’t kill them, but interview candidates must learn to sacrifice.
Maths is always better if there is a slight risk of death.
To book Ken Cheng for your event: [email protected]
