Multi-millionaire reveals go-to job interview question for weeding out red flags

A multi-millionaire entrepreneur has revealed the questions and scenarios he often puts forward to potential prospects.

Stephen Kaufer co-founded Tripadvisor back in 2000 alongside Langley Steinert, Nick Shanny, and Thomas Palka. Kaufer has since gone on to launch his new venture, Give Freely, an internet extension which allows people to make charity donations while shopping online.

During an appearance on The Logan Bartlett Show, Kaufer lifted the lid on some little-known techniques he implements during interviews.

One question he likes to ask is: "What's the hardest project you've ever worked on?" This allows the businessman to explore whether the candidate is a team player.

The entrepreneur makes a mental note of the answer, especially if they play the blame game – which can be a red flag. If someone emphasises with their co-workers, this is a green flag to Kaufer.

He said: "It can tell me, are they ever taking responsibility for why something became difficult?"

Equally, Kaufer is keen to learn about candidates' most successful projects: "That'll sometimes catch people off guard. And I can see kind of by the pause — they've never thought about it."

Curiosity is also key for Kaufer, who tends to ask people about their interests in the latest technology.

"I don't know a good question for adaptability," he told Bartlett. "I do know good questions for curiosity."

He then gave the example of asking interviewees whether they'd had a go at AI or chatbots. For Kaufer, this demonstrates their willingness to adapt.

Software engineers who admit they hadn't usually get passed on.

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