Over the years we’ve come across some weird and wonderful recruitment strategies, all under the guise of “lets think outside the box!”. How would you respond to a process such as any of the following?
The Audition
Why bother with a boring old interview when you can turn the whole recruitment process into a reality TV spectacle? One organisation took their search for a CEO and made it a full-blown competition, complete with bizarre challenges like scaling walls, solving puzzles, and participating in mock negotiations—all while being filmed. Because who needs relevant experience when you can just be the next big reality TV star? This is basically ‘The Apprentice’ but with a nice salary and a corner office. If you can survive the chaos on screen, you must be CEO material, right?
Extreme Personality Tests
Personality tests are usually a set of questions designed to understand how someone thinks. But one organisation decided to really push the boundaries. Instead of sitting down for a standard test, candidates were put through a series of extreme challenges, including obstacle courses, rapid-fire decision-making, and high-pressure questions under spotlights that could make anyone break a sweat. Apparently, if you can survive a mini boot camp, you’re fit to lead a company. Forget calm, rational thinking—let’s see how you handle absolute chaos.
The ‘Walk on Hot Coals’ Interview
Who thought it was a good idea to make candidates walk barefoot over hot coals ( a la Tony Robbins) as part of a job interview? This logic was that if you can withstand the literal heat, you’re clearly suited for the intense pressure of being a CEO. The thinking here seems to be: if you can keep your cool while your feet are burning, you can handle whatever organisational drama comes your way. Nothing says ‘hire me’ like a few blisters and a trip to the Emergency department.
Surprise Job Offer via Treasure Hunt
Who says job offers need to be straightforward? One company decided that the best way to make an offer was to turn the whole process into a ‘treasure hunt’. Candidates had to solve cryptic riddles, perform challenges, and face unexpected obstacles as they raced around the town following the clues —all for the chance to get a job. It’s like a cross between a Pokemon challenge and ‘The Da Vinci Code’ meets the corporate world. Sure, you might be able to run a multi-million-dollar organisation, but can you navigate a series of random tasks and actually find your way to the offer? If you can make it through this scavenger hunt, you’re probably overqualified for the role.
The Office ‘Survivor’ Challenge
A company thought it would be interesting to ask candidates to redesign their future office space as part of the interview. But here’s the catch—they also had to live in that office for a week. Forget comfy chairs or perks. Just a week in a plain office, managing stress and dealing with the challenges of the workspace, to see if you’re fit to lead the company. It’s like a corporate survival test, but instead of basic training, it’s all about whether you can handle living in a sterile office environment. Oh, and don’t forget to build team morale while you’re at it.
Conclusion
At Trak Search we do have some interesting aspects to our processes … but don’t expect any of the above anytime soon.
