The go-to job interview question CEO uses to instantly expose candidates' red flag traits

The former CEO of TripAdvisor has revealed the thought-provoking interview questions he asks candidates to expose any red flags they might have.

Job interviews aren't the most natural of environments as it is, with the pressure really on to make the perfect first impression.

Some bosses pull secret stunts in a bid to catch interviewees out, from the now-famous coffee cup test to the lesser-known 'salt and pepper' test.

In my opinion, some of these are super unfair - but bosses know exactly what they're looking for and how best to find it.

Someone who knows a hell of a lot more than I do about business is Steve Kaufer, who founded travel service company TripAdvisor back in 2000.

Steve Kaufer said one particular wrong answer puts candidates to the back of the pile (Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

He thought up the idea after being frustrated planning a family vacation and set up the company, now worth $2.27 billion, alongside Langley Steinert, Nick Shanny, and Thomas Palka.

The 62-year-old previously shared his job interview techniques with YouTuber Logan Bartlett, who runs the channel The Logan Bartlett Show. It was on here that Kaufer explained one question he tends to ask interviewees is 'what's the hardest project you've ever worked on?'.

Kaufer said he listens out for whether candidates are a team player, if they own up to why it became difficult or if they point the finger on someone else - that's a red flag.

He continued: "It can tell me, are they ever taking responsibility for why something became difficult?"

If someone views a task to be hard because they had to work on a Saturday, Kaufer said it could be 'kind of a red flag'.

Being caught out at a job interview would be mortifying (Fizkes/Getty Images)

In a twist, he then asks the candidate how they would refine their most successful project.

Kaufer said: "That'll sometimes catch people off guard. And I can see kind of by the pause - they've never thought about it."

While interviewing he wants to know whether his potential employee is adaptable to anything that is thrown at him, and to do so he quizzes them on how curious they are.

For example, he said that when interviewing software engineers he asks them whether they have experimented with AI and new chatbots that are available.

Any that say no are immediately put to the back.

"I just don't understand it," Kaufer said. "And I probably don't want to work with that individual."

This does seem a little harsh - the increased use of AI is a controversial subject across every industry, with many fearing it might eventually take our jobs.

But these CEOs are in charge of successful companies for a reason, I suppose!