Most people have either interviewed someone for a job or been on the receiving end of an interview themselves. Neither experience ranks highly on anyone’s “favorite things I’ve done this week” list.
If you are the candidate, your mission is basically: “I am uniquely brilliant; ignore the fact that I panic when printers jam.” If you are the interviewer, your mission is the opposite: “Please reveal the hidden chaos before I accidentally hire it.”
I recently came across a headline that stopped my scrolling: “This Is the Best Job Interview Question.” Naturally, I clicked. The article pointed to a question: “What are the open tabs in your internet browser right now?” The idea is that browser tabs are basically your brain’s browser history in real time with unfiltered curiosity, half-finished intentions and at least one tab you opened three days ago and are now emotionally committed to finishing “later.”
According to the article, it is useful because it reveals what people are actually interested in rather than what they think sounds impressive in a suit under fluorescent lighting.
I asked our management team the question. The answers ranged from “about 10 tabs, all essential” (a lie), to “just a few for focus” (also a lie, but calmer), to my own honest admission that I keep one tab open at a time like I’m living in 2004 and afraid of emotional overwhelm.
The article then helpfully notes that the “right” number of tabs depends. Too many might signal curiosity and digital fluency. Or it might signal the person has lost control of his or her life and is now just hosting a small, chaotic browser convention.
That explanation, and the question itself, felt incomplete. A better question, I think, is this: “If I looked inside your vehicle right now, what would I find?” People react immediately. There is laughter, nervous deflection and the sudden realization that their car is a rolling autobiography of snack choices, optimism and unresolved errands.
As much as we want hiring to be precise and data-driven, it often comes down to something closer to weather forecasting with vibes, especially when you only have two candidates to choose from.
Job seekers aren’t off the hook either. You can optimize your resume, rehearse your answers and still have your future determined by whether your browser tabs suggest “strategic thinker” or your car says “mobile evidence of a long week.”
Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707