Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook. Everyone knows these big tech companies. These gargantuan corporations must have received thousands, perhaps millions of resumes every year, yes?

So they must have an effective and efficient hiring process. But, what is it?

Companies such as Google have finely tuned hiring process that goes way beyond basic interview questions. Here are the secret hiring strategies of these companies:

1. Make the interview session very confusing and unpredictable

PURPOSE: To find candidates can perform without instructions

Make sure that neither the interviewers or interviewees have any idea what’s going to happen during the interview. This sounds counter-productive, but hear us out. 

By making the interview session unpredictable, it gives a chance for you to identify candidates that have the ability to make sense out of a confusing situation. This is a great indicator of who will perform best when no one has any clue what’s going on.

2. Make sure something goes wrong during the interview

PURPOSE: To see how the candidate adapt to less-than-ideal situations

Intentionally set up the candidate’s interview in a room where the equipment doesn’t work, which is probably any room. If the applicant is able to roll with it and doesn’t mind adapting, then that’s a good sign they'd be easy to work with.

Bonus points are given for candidates who have a Plan B, Plan C and Plan D, which comes in very handy in the tech world, as well as any other industries.

3. During the interview, don't be afraid to make incorrect assumptions

PURPOSE: To remove candidates who are easily annoyed

If the candidate’s last job was at McDonald's, say, “How long were you at Domino's!?” Be aware of the candidate’s tone when they correct you.

Do they get annoyed or do they stay calm? This is how tech companies find out what a candidate would be like to work with when the mistakes happen.

4. Ask the job candidate to solve your own, specific problems

PURPOSE: They will be able to solve your company's problem

Companies such as Google and Amazon often have candidates solve real problems they are currently facing. This is a great idea to get some help with your problems.

5. Have the interview frequently move between different rooms

PURPOSE: To find people who are still interested, even when they’re uncomfortable

Don't let your job applicants get comfortable during the interview. This is how you find people who are uncomfortably excited and also get around the fact that no conference rooms were available for the entire day.

6. Ask the same questions over and over and over again

PURPOSE: To test the candidate's consistency

Predictability is a good thing, at least in the tech industry. During the interview, don’t worry about asking the same question over and over again because you're not clear or confused.

This is a great way to test the candidate’s consistency. Candidates should only be inconsistent with their answers when interviewing for senior roles.

7. Conduct dual interviews with a good cop / bad cop style

PURPOSE: To find people who can multi-task under pressure

Put the candidate in the middle of a conference room with interviewers at both ends of the table.

• Is the candidate able to simultaneously direct their attention to both interviewers while sufficiently answering each question at the same time?

• Or are they clearly exhausted and wondering why they even agreed to this interview? 

These questions are will help you find candidates who can perform under pressure.

8. Ask a question, then start typing very loudly

PURPOSE: To find people who remain focused despite distractions

Ask the candidate a question. Then, as soon as they start to answer, start typing loudly. Apologise and say you’re “listening, just taking notes.” You could be taking notes, or you could be writing an email to your boss, it doesn’t matter.

See if the candidate can stay focused on the question or if they get lost. This will help you identify candidates who don’t easily get distracted.

9. Weeks later, call and offer the candidate a job they didn’t apply for

PURPOSE: To find people who are determined

This is a great way to filter out people who obviously didn’t really want the job in the first place.

• Does the candidate fight for the job they wanted?

• Do they take the offer because they think it’s the best they can get?

• Or do they turn it down because they already found another job months ago?

10. Start phone screenings 15 minutes early, 15 minutes late, or not at all

PURPOSE: To determine candidates who are always ready for the job

Anyone can answer a series of probing questions when you call them at the expected time. But what happens if you call them when they’re still sleeping, at the gym or on the toilet?

This is how the top tech companies find people who are ready for the job at any moment.

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Source: The Cooper Review

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