Job interviews can be unpredictable, but one job seeker's recent experience really threw people off. While many candidates have heard the old “sell me this pen” test, this person was handed something completely different: a broken stapler.
An Interview That Got Weird Fast
“Classic ‘sell me this pen’ scenario, right? Nope,” the poster wrote on Reddit recently. “They handed me a broken stapler. Like, literally missing the spring inside.”
Thinking it was a joke or creativity test, they went along with it: “I said something like, ‘This stapler’s not just for paper, it’s a reminder that even broken things can hold potential.'”
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But the interviewer didn't seem impressed. “So you'd admit to a client that it's broken?” she asked. The candidate replied directly: “Ma'am, you just handed me a broken stapler.”
They didn't get the job, but clearly left with their sense of humor intact. “At least I know my sales pitch wasn't the most broken thing in the room.”
Reddit Users Weren't Having It
Thousands weighed in, and the overwhelming reaction was that the interviewer, not the candidate, looked bad.
“I’m not going to sacrifice my relationship with my client nor the reputation of my company just to make a buck,” one top comment read. “I'd admit to a client that the product is damaged. Integrity is worth more than a quick $5 for a stapler.”
Another wrote: “This wasn't a test. That was a prank disguised as corporate psychology. You passed by surviving it.”
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Plenty of commenters who had worked in sales shared similar experiences where ethics clashed with expectations. One said they quit a sales job after being asked to sell elderly customers outdated phones at full price. “I said I may be great at selling stuff but I refuse to talk someone into a contract that will hurt them in the long term.”
A Debate Over Sales Culture
Some argued that the question was meant to test improvisation, not ethics. “They just wanted to see what you’ve got and you chose to be silly,” one person said. Others mocked that defense. “So you’d have me sell something broken and pretend like it’s not?” one replied.
More sarcastic users took it as an opportunity to parody typical sales tactics. “You’re not buying a stapler; you’re buying resilience,” one wrote. Another said, “It's not a stapler, it's a stealth weapon.”
Some even noted that these kinds of prompts can reveal more about the company than the candidate. “If their response is that you should have just covered up that it was broken and tried to lie your way into a sale, then you’re joining a company that values short-term results over long-term consequences,” one person wrote.
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Is the ‘Sell Me This Pen’ Test Outdated?
While some see it as a way to test quick thinking, many were frustrated that such gimmicky questions still show up in 2025. One person wrote: “Anyone who asks these style of questions in an interview has more college than common sense. Best to work for a different company.”
Others felt the question distorts what real sales is about. “Relationship building sells repeat business,” one commenter said. “Sure, it may be a two-appointment close, but you have a client for life.”
The original poster may not have landed the job, but they likely avoided a workplace where ethics come second. As one person put it: “You only get to sell your integrity once.”
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Image: Shutterstock
