The interview hadn't even started, but the decision was already made.
I'm hiring an Accounting Manager. Ten candidates made it to the Zoom round.
One of them, let's call him Frank, emailed me 15 minutes before the call.
"My speakers aren't working. Can we do this by phone?"
I said no. I waited for him to suggest a workaround.
He didn't.
I asked if he had alternatives.
He said no.
So I cancelled the interview.
Was I too harsh?
No. Because this wasn't about speakers. It was about ownership.
Frank knew the interview was scheduled. He had days to test his tech, not minutes. He could have used earbuds, a laptop, or a phone app. Instead, he handed me a problem and expected me to fix it.
Here is the hard truth about hiring today:
We don't just want experience. We want problem solvers.
- We don't want people who tell us why something can't be done.
- We want people who find a way to get it done anyway.
If you can't troubleshoot a Zoom call, how can I trust you to troubleshoot a crisis in the office?
With AI and layoffs reshaping the workforce, adaptability is the new currency. The résumé gets you in the door, but your resourcefulness keeps you in the room.
I want to build a team that anticipates issues before they happen. I want employees who embrace tools, take ownership, and don't wait for permission to solve a problem.
I'm usually a soft-hearted interviewer. I like giving people chances.
But Frank didn't give me a choice.
Candidates: Test your tech. Prepare for the worst. Bring solutions, not problems.
