The boss a major software firm has revealed a 'coffee cup test' he uses during interviews, with people being blacklisted from the company for failing it. The simple experiment is used at the end of every job interview carried out by Trent Innes.
Mr Innes is the former MD of Xero Australia and was discussing his interviewing method on the business podcast The Venture, with entrepreneur Lambros Photios. He explained: "I will always take you for a walk down to one of our kitchens and somehow you always end up walking away with a drink.
"Then we take that back, have our interview, and one of the things I'm always looking for at the end of the interview is, does the person doing the interview want to take that empty cup back to the kitchen?
Read more: Killer Michael O'Brien says Bestwood crime boss Colin Gunn 'got what he deserved'
"You can develop skills, you can gain knowledge and experience but it really does come down to attitude, and the attitude that we talk a lot about is the concept of 'wash your coffee cup'."
And he claims that this trick works, and the kitchens in their office are always very clean, reports the Mirror. He goes on: "If you come into the office one day inside Xero, you'll see the kitchens are almost always clean and sparkling and it's very much off that concept of wash your coffee cup.
"It's really just making sure that they're actually going to fit into the culture inside Xero, and really take on everything that they should be doing."
But as well as the coffee cup test, Mr Innes also said that more basic manners were important. He revealed that one potential candidate blew his interview in five minutes after being dismissive to the receptionist and barely making eye contact with her.
READ NEXT:
- Life next to "dangerous" M1 junction costing the economy millions every year
- Frustrated mum feels nursery "failed" her son after they could not cope with his additional needs
- 46 tributes, death and funeral notices from across Nottinghamshire
- Starbucks drive-thru plan for village rejected over fears of traffic and queues
- Nottingham's TV Workshop celebrates 40 years of homegrown talent
