INSTANT MBA: Here's Why One CEO Asks Job Candidates To Drive His Car During The Interview

Instant MBA

May 05, 2014

Some hiring managers ask oddball questions during the interview; others may test your skills or knowledge on the spot. One CEO will go a step further and ask you to drive his car.

The New York Times' Adam Bryant recently interviewed Ron Kaplan, the chief executive of Trex, a manufacturer of outdoor decks, about leadership and hiring.

Kaplan says he often asks job candidates who are from other cities if they would like to go out for lunch during the interview. Then, on the way to the parking lot, he hands them his car keys and asks them to drive.

He does this for two reasons. First: to see what kind of reaction they have to driving his car in a strange city, he says. And second: to test their ability to multitask.

"I'll be giving them directions and asking them questions while we're driving," he says. "Some people can handle it with aplomb, and others can't."

Kaplan says this is a good way to get to know the candidate's character. "If, after 90 minutes with them, they're not well-defined, and I can't see the edges, I get uncomfortable," he says. "To be a good leader, you've got to be predictable. And to be predictable, you've got to know the person to a reasonable extent."

Click here to read the full interview.

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