The Airport Test
By Harry Kapoor
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"What do you do outside of work/ study"
That's asked quite often in interviews.
Wondering why?
It's called The Airport Test.
It is termed so, because it's used to ascertain if the interviewer would like to hang out with the interviewee if they both get stuck together at a airport or are traveling for work.
More so, it stresses on the fact that 'Attitude and values of the person are as important, if not more, as the skillset.'
How you behave and act when no one is looking, how you collaborate with the team, how do you handle feedback and rejections, what are your interests outside work, how you chose to spend your time. These things tell more about you than your work experience or marks.
In the end, any company is recruiting a human not a machine. They do not just want an employee to get work done (nor would you want to work at such a company) but a team member they would enjoy hanging out with, both at work and outside. Next time you meet someone new or go for an interview, remember this and your entire approach might change.
Although there is nothing much you can change about your personal values, it’s good to be prepared to answer things like, “What do you do for fun outside of work?" or “Do you have personal interests or passions?" and also keeping a set of questions you would like to ask them to know more them as individuals, or about the company culture.
Note- this is often a part of the interview process of top consulting firms, technology companies and others. A bit more on it-