Boss Uses ‘Salt & Pepper Test’ In Every Job Interview And Avoids Hiring Candidates Who Fail
frantic00 | Shutterstock A boss used a salt-and-pepper test during an interview and refused to hire a candidate who didn't pass the arbitrary test that they weren't even aware of.
The job market is not easy to navigate right now, and the fact that more and more bosses and hiring managers are choosing to use secret tests to gauge candidate quality without job seekers even knowing is discouraging. It's hard enough to answer questions like, "What's your greatest weakness?" and "Where do you see yourself in five years?" Now you have to worry about your palate matching your boss's specific tastes, or you might not get the job.
A boss uses a salt-and-pepper test during job interviews, and how candidates respond determines whether he hires them.
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A man in the Air Force shared a story of success, failure, and seasoning on the r/AirForce Reddit thread, noting that he learned a valuable lesson while having lunch with other Air Force members. When a Wing Command Chief noticed that a Staff Sergeant put salt on his food without tasting it first, he imparted a salient piece of wisdom by way of telling a story.
"There once were two men applying for a job at a very well-respected Fortune 500 company,” the Command Chief said. “One of the men went to Harvard, and one went to Yale.” Both “exceptional” men had 4.0 GPAs and glowing character references, leaving the CEO at a loss for whom to hire.
The CEO decided to take both men out to dinner at an upscale restaurant as a way to find out which candidate was better suited for the job. “When their food arrived, one of the men began to put salt and pepper on his food while the other man took a small bite of each item on his dish and then put salt and pepper on a few items from his dish,” the Command Chief said.
The CEO insisted that the candidate who tasted his food first was better suited to the job.
The Command Chief continued, "The CEO knew right then and there that the man who tasted his food first was the one who would get the job. When pressed for more information as to why he chose that man over the one who salted his food without tasting it first, the CEO declared, “These two men were perfect in every way but the man who tasted his food first knew that some things don't need extra flavor but some things do.”
“I knew right then and there that this would be a man that will fix things but will also not fix things that don't need fixing,” the CEO determined. According to the Command Chief, there’s always a good reason not to salt your food before tasting it: “It could be good enough already.”
The salt-and-pepper test is really a measure of impulsivity.
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The CEO wasn't really testing restaurant etiquette with these candidates. He was testing impulsivity. A person who tests his food has patience. A person who salts without thinking is careless, even with something as personal as his own meal.
There are many times when swift decision-making skills are touted in the professional world, but when there is a simple step that could save a decision from disaster, it's always smarter to take it. That's how the salt-and-pepper test works. Taking a bite of food before salting it doesn't derail the meal. It doesn't waste time. It's a smart decision that shows the person doesn't take unnecessary risks.
As therapist Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, Ph.D., explained, "Impulsivity can become a curse when spur-of-the-moment decisions are not moderated by forethought and logic."
While the CEO's salt-and-pepper test might seem like something you want to roll your eyes at, he was actually making a good decision between the two employees who looked equally good on paper. This is an example of how soft skills can make a major impact on the hiring process.
The man who tasted his food before salting it was probably a thoughtful person, the kind of guy who measures twice and cuts once. He most likely wasn’t one to jump without looking or put the company in danger with any risky decision that he hadn’t considered in full.
Alexandra Blogier, MFA, is a writer who covers psychology, social issues, relationships, self-help topics, and human interest stories.
