At a time when soft skills are increasingly valued in the recruitment process, some companies are adopting some rather unusual tactics to sort through their candidates.
One example is the “coffee cup test”. If you’re at a job interview and the hiring manager offers you a cup of coffee, you might want to be on your guard: instead of just a way to put you at ease, this offer could actually be a test!
This recruitment method was conceptualised by Trent Innes, former head of Xero Australia. The interviewer observes what the candidate does once the interview is over, and if the candidate shows a willingness to clear their cup – i.e. take it back to the kitchen or wash it – then they score points.
If, on the other hand, they just leave it on the desk, that could well be their undoing in the eyes of the recruiter.
It may seem like an ordinary gesture at first glance, but the Australian boss claims that this method helped him make choices on several occasions when it came to selecting or rejecting candidates.
And the reason makes perfect sense: from Innes’ point of view, bringing the mug back to the kitchen shows initiative and team spirit, as well as a strong ability to adapt quickly to the company’s culture.
“You can develop skills, you can gain knowledge and experience, but it really does come down to attitude,” he points out in an interview with “The Mirror”.
It’s something to keep in mind if someone asks you if you would like a cup of coffee or glass of water at your next job interview. While it may seem natural to some to ask where they can wash their cup or dispose of their paper cup, others may not consider the matter, paying it no attention at all.
This could work against you if the person conducting the interview has decided to put the “coffee cup test” into practice.
The coffee cup trick isn’t the only one of its kind: other tests focusing on the emotional-intelligence capacities of candidates are also making headlines. For example, the “receptionist test”, in which the recruiter takes on the role of a receptionist in order to interact with the candidate before the official interview.
If the candidate is rude and dismissive, they’re off to a very bad start!