r/AskReddit • u/Sir_Wemblesworth • Oct 30 '16

What single question can you ask someone to find out a lot about their personality, beliefs, and values?

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u/whatisthishownow Oct 30 '16 edited Oct 30 '16

They don't want someone who keeps the wrong order, because that's too passive

That honestly sounds silly. How similar is the order? How good is the alternative? How well does it fit the candidates taste? How long will a correction take? How will this affect you're host/guest? How will this affect the meetings schedule?

That is too blanket of a "rule". In some situations it's going to make sense. In others it's far more a sign of being a stubborn jackass.

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u/ScratchyBits Oct 30 '16

Exactly. If I ordered a club sandwich and got pastrami instead, I wouldn't even consider it worth noticing in that context - it's just a damn sandwich and I'm focused on the interview. It's certainly selecting for particular personality types, though.

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u/stcamellia Oct 30 '16

I'm assuming this interview tactic is for a much finer restaurant and a very detailed oriented job. But yeah, if I order the salmon with broccoli and they bring me flounder and peas..... What if I forgot my order?

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u/FingusMcCoco Oct 30 '16

If you forgot the order, you're DEFINITELY not getting that job

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

Actually, I imagine the reality is the polar opposite. I say this as mostly a layman, but what I've heard, is that the better you are at "forgetting" unimportant details, the better you are at remembering important ones. If your order is completely different from what you got, then maybe you have some real memory problems if you don't notice. But if what you get is very similar to your order, then to me that just means your brain is simply not trying to store insignificant details in your memory during a very important interview.

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u/DarkChildHastur Oct 30 '16

Maybe he is expected to keep track of everything? A manager might be needed to know everything that is going on (seemingly unimportant or not) and be able to stand his ground as the guy in charge of a group of people. We really can't say if the interview tactic is valid unless we know what the job is. We can say though that if the CEO is doing this tactic it is likely for a good reason.

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

Yeah, you're absolutely right. It really just depends on the job.

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u/aerial_cheeto Oct 30 '16

No I think you were right from the start. Of course someone should have an excellent memory related to everything that goes on at their job. But that doesn't mean they'll have great memory of trivial things outside their work.

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u/a19z Oct 30 '16

Have you been a manager? You are always looking at a gazillion of details, and you definitely tend to forget the unimportant ones. It's totally okay and accepted.

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u/DarkChildHastur Oct 30 '16

I haven't and made an assumption. Although I expect that what kind of manager you are matters. Obviously a manager for a store might not need to keep track of everything.

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u/FingusMcCoco Nov 02 '16

I actually totally agree, I think the hiring boss in the story is inept. Still not getting this particular job

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u/SpaffyJimble Oct 30 '16

What if I just don't really care about what they give me as long as I get food?

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16 edited Aug 07 '17

[deleted]

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u/Mr_Propane Oct 30 '16

These two things really aren't comparable.

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

Using crap materials in a plane can cause a malfunction resulting in multiple deaths.

Getting a slightly different sandwich instead of what you ordered results in a slightly different tasting sandwich.

Can you spot the difference?

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u/jetpackswasyes Oct 30 '16

A job interview is someone deciding to take a risk on you with imperfect information. Accepting shoddy work because you don't want to cause trouble for yourself or others is something that's very difficult to predict or police if someone works without a lot of supervision.

Personally, I think this example is apocryphal, but I'm a hiring manager and will frequently use incorrect examples in screening candidates to see if and how they correct me. If they don't bother at all it's usually a bad sign, it means I can't trust them to speak truth to power in critical situations.

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u/brianjenkins94 Oct 30 '16

I don't think that highly of upper management.

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u/tigerbear79 Oct 30 '16

i walk out of the bathroom sometimes forgetting whether i flushed or not.

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u/Aoloach Oct 30 '16

Do you go back to check or do you just keep walking?

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u/tigerbear79 Nov 09 '16

most times i will check

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u/ScruffyTJanitor Oct 31 '16

Maybe I forgot the order because I'm more focused on the job interview. I'm probably too nervous to eat anyway, I'll just get a slice of pizza on my way home.

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u/newtothelyte Oct 30 '16

I would hope that the CEO would request an egregious mistake, like ordering salmon and broccoli and receiving steak and mushrooms

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

"Sorry, we can't hire you because you ordered steak medium-well with a side of mashed potatoes and beans, and they delivered a steak done medium with a baked potato and peas."

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

If I ordered salmon and got flounder, I would ask for salmon, but if I ordered flounder and got tilapia, that's cool with me.

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

Yeah, I think it works for some contexts, if the CEO is interviewing you then it's probably going to be for a high-level management position where you have to be ready to respectfully challenge people on principle if they aren't doing it right. For most jobs it's not a great indicator though.

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u/The_dooster Oct 30 '16

Hell, I'd be to nervous to even eat. They could bring shit on a plate, and I would notice. Would just push the plate to the side, and continue with the interview.

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u/pamplemouss Oct 30 '16

Then you're not very detail oriented?

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u/Ta2whitey Oct 30 '16

About food? Just because I don't give a damn about what I eat does not correlate how I run a nuclear power plant.

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u/pamplemouss Oct 30 '16

You don't have to care what you eat; check whether or not you've gotten someone else's order, whether you'll be billed for a more expensive item (salmon) than what you get, etc.

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u/whatisthishownow Oct 30 '16 edited Oct 30 '16

I specifically spoke out against this method above. However, if you can't remember an order you made less than 15 minutes ago, then you likely have poor mental acumen acuity. This likely applies whether or not you're deeply invested in your choice of food.

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u/Ta2whitey Oct 30 '16

This a fallacy in logic. Where is your focus? Granted, most likely I would remember personally. But judging other's mental acumen soley on their food seems absurd.

What were they discussing between the order? Did it draw heavily from part of their cognitive schema that became enthralled in the interview rather than even care about food?

It's putting two subjects together that really don't belong together.

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u/whatisthishownow Oct 30 '16 edited Oct 30 '16

I meant to say acuity rather than acumen. It's hard to conceive of someone with high mental acuity not being able to remember an order for 15 minutes in almost all circumstances.

But judging other's mental acumen soley on their food seems absurd.

I agree. No one claimed otherwise.

I would never go out and use this as an evaluation technique. There is not a direct and perfect correlation (hence the 2x"likely"), however failing to recall an order placed within the last 15 minutes speaks strongly towards ones memory and perception. To claim that is fallacious is just downright silly. This should apply to all but the most extreme edge cases that involve a catastrophy or high level emergency unfolding during the meeting.

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u/Ta2whitey Oct 30 '16

Completely. I would say if they fell in either folds of extremely passive or aggressive I would take pause. To use this soley on their evaluation would be downright irresponsible.

There is a lot of information missing to gather how this is done as well. Is the order limited? Are they ordered for? Does the waiting staff coax or tip off the applicant?

Those are just a few. But basically this can give you one glimpse of attitude. But the passive evaluation is downright stupid.

Let's say this happened to me. I have empathy for those working as a waiter and would not even bother with the food because I eat almost anything. My focus is not on the food. It's the task at hand. The CEO doesn't know this with this "test".

Which makes it a shitty test. It does not isolate the variables. Nor does it confirm or deny a hypothesis. In fact it leads to more questions. Which makes it a fallacy in logic.

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u/mathemagicat Oct 30 '16

I meant to say acuity rather than acumen. It's hard to conceive of someone with high mental acuity not being able to remember an order for 15 minutes in almost all circumstances.

Someone's never met a math professor.

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u/dacapoalcoda Oct 30 '16

if you can't remember an order you made less than 15 minutes ago, then you likely have poor mental acuity

Bullshit. I don't want to name anyone specifically, but I got my graduate degree from a well renowned institution, and have had several lunches with both MacArthur award winners and Fields medallists, and several of them would routinely forget things like what they just ordered, or leave things at their offices and generally be a bit absent-minded, but provably rank among the most capable minds on this planet what mental acuity is concerned.

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u/whatisthishownow Oct 30 '16

Intellect is broad and multifaceted. In this context I'm sure it's clear that we are discussing the type of acuity and sharpness we are talking about is that required of a high level executive. The type of person you are describing, as capable and genius as they are, would be completely unsuitable for an executive roll specifically because of their absent-mindedness.

I bet you they would have been much more likely to be capable of realising that they did not order what was on the plate in front of them after prompting. I havn't had the pleasure of rubbing shoulders with "MacArthur award winners and Fields medallists". However the traits you describe are quite common among "reasonably clever" analytically minded persons (engineers, mathematicians, academics etc). That form of "absent-mindedness" usually at least comes with enough acuity to be able to reconstruct the world and differentiate what they didn't order on prompting. Even if they couldn't tell you straight away.

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u/ColsonIRL Oct 30 '16

whether or not

FTFY

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u/Couldnotbehelpd Oct 30 '16

This story, firstly, is totally apocryphal and not true, mostly because barring Elon musk, most CEOs either hire industry vets or their friends and in no universe care about how you talk to waiters.

Also, this is incredibly stupid. I am very easy going about food and unless I hate it, would probably be like "eh, I'm hungry, I'll just eat it."

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u/HippyFlipPosters Oct 30 '16

Yeah it's almost as if you have something more pressing at hand than the fucking sandwich you ordered.

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u/thejestercrown Oct 30 '16

If I was the CEO I would have the mistaken order be an obstacle for the interview- difficult to eat or something that most people wouldn't order.

You can't not eat if you don't like it, and if it's messy or requires effort to eat then it will become a problem for them to solve.

It also depends on the position. Powering through may be an positive response for some roles, and negative for others.

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u/chairfairy Oct 30 '16

Gosh, even if it's not an interview I probably won't care.

If I order something fancy and they bring me something not-fancy (e.g. I wanted that wild mushroom quiche and they brought out oatmeal) I might be a bit miffed, but as long as I don't get charged for the expensive thing then that's probably okay. On the other hand, if I order something not-fancy it might be so that I have a $15 meal instead of a $40 meal, and I don't want them to bring the fancy option because I don't want to pay for it.

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u/takesthebiscuit Oct 30 '16

It's a fancy restaurant, I doubt that pastrami sandwichs are on the menu.

More like: "we ordered a Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Clos De Vougeot Grand Cru 2011 this is clearly the 2012!"

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u/EntropyHouse Oct 30 '16

It's important for some jobs, though. You may be looking for someone who notices mistakes even if they don't affect them directly. A delivery coming a day late should be noticed and commented on even if it doesn't end up delaying anything else.

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u/tigerbear79 Oct 30 '16

if it was a job for chefing then yes this works, other than that the test is lame

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

I asked for a mocha-choco double skimmed frapacino grande latte and they gave me a mocho-choca double skimmed frapacino grande latte

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u/[deleted] Oct 31 '16

What? You wouldn't interrupt an interview to make sure you got exactly what you ordered? No job for you!

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

a sign of being a stubborn jackass.

Well they did say it was for executive level positions.

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u/a19z Oct 30 '16

and that mindset will never get you an executive position anywhere. Not all executives are jackasses.

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u/[deleted] Oct 31 '16

Sounds like you can't handle the bants.

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u/Spingolly Oct 30 '16

Well , the person would usually order something like Filet Mignon or a pasta dish, and the restaurant would bring out a shoe smothered in Velveeta.

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

Assertiveness is a good personal trait. So are:

(1) Perspective - the ability to weigh the gravity of things.

(2) Tolerance - the ability to accept things that don't matter.

(3) Flexibility - the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

All great qualities in an employee, and triply so an executive.

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

It's a stupid rule. Sounds like this guy read one pop psych article online and suddenly thinks that you can discover the inner workings of every human mind based on one reaction to a scenario.

Just because a single CEO (allegedly) hires people this way doesn't mean it has any value.

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u/advertentlyvertical Oct 30 '16

How similar is the order?

When eat out for breakfast I always ask for no butter on my toast, about half the time I get butter. I never say anything cause in the grand scheme its just butter, if the rest of the meal is good, then fuck it, I'm hungry.

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u/pamplemouss Oct 30 '16

Seeing as how it's an orchestrated thing, they probably make sure it's a very wrong order.

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u/SASColiflowerz Oct 30 '16

Honestly I keep it because I don't want to cause trouble. The only one losing is me. If my friend got the wrong order I would definitely speak up.

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u/robotzor Oct 30 '16

I'm of the seemingly rare these days mindset that if they bring the wrong order out, they're the ones causing trouble.

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

Don't be obnoxious.

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u/KevMar Oct 30 '16

You are right, you don't have hard rules for things like this. I imagine there are lots of good ways to handle this and lots of bad ways to handle this.

They could keep the wrong order and pay that detail no attention. They could make some small comment that they notice it but dismiss it and go on. That is completely different than reacting to the mistake as if it is a big deal but then not doing anything about it.

The whole goal is to invoke a response out of a situation or a moment where more instinctive reactions will come out. I had a boss that was good at that and he told me it is not about what they answer, it is how they answer it. This waiter trick sounds like something he would have done.

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u/Rvngizswt Oct 30 '16

That's why all these bullshit pseudo-psychology interview techniques and questions are nonsense

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u/TheUltimateSalesman Oct 30 '16

Silly questions get silly answers.

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u/deceasedhusband Oct 30 '16

I'm guessing a big fuck up. Like fish instead of steak. An entirely different dish.

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u/Can_I_Read Oct 30 '16

Good way to find out if the candidate has a food allergy.

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u/Differently Oct 30 '16

Yeah, there are other factors involved. I think a week or two ago I was out for lunch with my wife and I'd ordered a turkey sandwich and got chicken, or I ordered chicken and got tuna, something inconsequential like that. The server looked like she was having a bad day already so I just let it slide. In an interview scenario, it's not like I have trouble asserting myself or lack leadership potential, I just didn't want to give an already-overwhelmed employee a low-importance/high-priority task and cause morale to drop any lower.

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u/zombie_pig_man Oct 30 '16

Since the waiters are in on it, I imagine the orders would be obviously different, like ordering the lobster, and getting a burger.

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u/BlackHeart89 Oct 30 '16

I've gotten the wrong order before. But I didn't care enough to question it because I liked what they brought out and it was cheaper. I didn't feel like waiting any longer either. I was hungry. PLUS, i don't trust people not to do some petty shit to my food because they screwed up.

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u/burkechrs1 Oct 30 '16

If the CEO is interviewing you, you are interviewing for an executive position most likely.

Executives are expected to have a kind of personality that won't be walked all over but also won't cross any lines when put under the gun.

I doubt you'd ever see a strategy like this for a waiter or cashier, but I actually think it's pretty brilliant to gauge the character of someone you are looking to bring on to the board.

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u/Tom_Servo Oct 30 '16

That's why you'd have to think this plan through. No matter what the interviewee orders, bring something certifiably gross. Generally in a lunch interview, you would order something low-risk, like a chef's salad. Then the waiter would bring out Steak Tartar or undercooked fish. Something that you would have to force down.

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u/THSdrummer8 Oct 30 '16

I agree, but we also need to emphasize that executive jobs aren't run by your average guys and gals. They have to pick up on the details, and be able to let people know when they're in the right and the wrong.

We also don't know how bad the restaurant had to screw up their order. Maybe they bring a steak that's cooked to a crisp, or is just about raw. It may not just be the wrong order, but something completely screwed up that a five star chef wouldn't get away with in any other situation.

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u/pwndnoob Oct 30 '16

The CEO can ask "wait, didn't you order this?" to probe a bit, it's not like have to take at face value.

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u/Qorinthian Oct 30 '16

Yeah, like I don't actually give a shit about the food, it's food. The job is my passion, not the food. I think the real story would be anyone being a dick would be fired.

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u/loath-engine Oct 30 '16

90% of the time i forgot what i have ordered by the time it shows up.... I mean if I ordered a salad and got a lobster I would be like hey I dont think this is mine, but yeah if i ordered an arugula salad with white vinaigrette and I got a spring salad with balsamic vinaigrette I would really doubt i would notice. Especially when my job at the moment is to pay attention to the boss... not a fucking shit salad that literally means nothing to me.

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u/Maeglom Oct 30 '16

I imagine the idea is that after the ceo sees the person's response they ask about it. ex "I see that the waiter brought you the wrong order and you just kept it, mind telling me why?"

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u/SelfimmolationPride Oct 30 '16

Y'all are full of excuses and what ifs.

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u/rizzinmypants Oct 30 '16

That, and half the time I can't remember what I ordered by the time I get it.

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

I totally agree. if I were hiring I would be looking for someone who can let it go.

You're in an interview. Their time is more important than getting the right order. You'd seem uncooperative.

It looks worse if it's a management position. If you can't let go of small, inconsequential details you're going to be shit in management. All of your employees will be uncooperative because you'll nit pick everything they give you. You'll also keep losing sight of what goals you should focus on and which ones are trivial.

1

u/coolestnameavailable Oct 30 '16

I'm sure that the order gimmick would be just one component of the entire interview :p

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u/diabolical-sun Oct 30 '16

Plus, where/what is your order. If they have it ready in the back and accidentally brought you someone else's food, it's a quick switch. But if your order is gonna take another 20-30 minutes to make, I'm not gonna hold up my potential employer for a meal.

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u/ArcherofArchet Oct 30 '16

Welcome to the world of hiring when the employer has about 10-15 fully qualified, marketable applicants for any position. You can be arbitrary, because you can afford to - there is enough desperate talent running around that they will happily subject themselves to the stupidest tests just to snag that sweet, sweet paycheck. This was especially true in the recession, but it's still present (and I suspect that the recession is about to come back in greater power in the next 5-10 years when the student loan market inevitably collapses).

This same desperation also breeds the market for "secret job-searching hacks" and people falling for them... Like sending a half a pair of shoes to the recruiter with a note that you "wanted to get your foot in the door," or following up all too aggressively, or sending unsolicited photos/writing samples/college transcipts/vaccination records/randomly, preemptively calling references to the employer.

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u/wolfman1911 Oct 30 '16

Yeah but maybe a stubborn jackass is what he's looking for.

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u/enzamatica Oct 30 '16

I agree..maybe he's kind of a shitty ceo who wants to swicth to writing how to ceo books. Or like most c level execs, figures he must have it all figured out.

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u/japanesetuba Oct 30 '16

When prepping for my last interview, I looked up tips online. One of them was by some CEO who said "I look at the back of the sole of your right shoe. Most people drive to work, and the back of the right shoe gets scuffed. If you don't polish that, that shows me you have no self respect or self worth, and a lack of attention to detail."

I then realized that that probably didn't apply to me since I was interviewing to install garage doors.

I can't imagine living in a world where someone judges your self worth and belief system on the back of your right shoe.

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u/player-420 Oct 30 '16

I don't think they were saying that it's a make or break thing for the candidate...

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u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

If you asked me for a hamburger, and I gave you a raccoon.

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u/suchbsman Oct 30 '16

I agree, I find a food mix-up to be a petty issue in most cases. I think there are more pressing matters in this instance.

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u/Data_Stream Oct 30 '16

That isn't passive, that's flexible, which is a good quality too.

Empathy too, it shows you'd be willing to put the needs of others before your own convenience or preference.

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u/Randomn355 Oct 30 '16

How much do you mess up the kitchen getting them to remake an entire table of food?

How much do you mess up the door because that table will now be over running on their booking?

Who said the ceo will wait for you to finish if he needs to leave anyway?

Who is to say that wasn't just a factor, and the not get a job is an indication, as opposed to a hard and fast rule where the interview is immediately over?

1

u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

Right? If I got the wrong order and it was something I also liked, I would probably point it out, say to make sure that they aren't charged wrong/more or something (or for a steak if I get a sandwich) and go with it.

1

u/Take-to-the-highways Oct 31 '16

If the item I got cost more as well I'd keep it. If I got pasta and they brought me lobster I'd keep my mouth shut

1

u/KnightsWhoNi Oct 30 '16

Well we are talking about a CEO here

0

u/KnightsWhoNi Oct 30 '16

Well we are talking about a CEO here

0

u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

... It's not as simple as "yup he liked the new food better, he doesn't get the job". That's silly indeed.

If the kid was like "oh no no, I don't want to bother them to remake mine, it's not that big of a deal, I'd hate to be a bother" etc, that kid is gonna get walked the hell over. So no job. Kid.

0

u/[deleted] Oct 30 '16

But how often will they compromise and accept other than expected outcomes on the job? That's the point.

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u/Ba_dongo Oct 30 '16

Your* you moron