“Out of the Box Thinker” – this is a phrase used often in advertisements, job specifications and during search assignments, but is it just another cliché or is it something real to be discovered and nurtured?

According to the various dictionaries it means “to think differently, unconventionally and look at an issue from an outside perspective, away from your familiar surroundings”.

Throwing out new ideas, especially ideas that might seem slightly off-the-wall, can be great to find creative solutions for complex or persistent problems.

However, in the hospitality industry, which is deeply conservative and set in its established guiding principles, an “Out of the Box Thinker” might find it hard to get a foothold. The prevailing view is that there is very little that hasn’t been tried, done and shelved or developed further, making it hard for the truly creative, unconventional thinker to thrive.

In candidate selection, many of today’s online tests or behavioural assessments have astonishing questions to try and discover if a candidate has this elusive quality. To follow are some sample questions to see if you are truly an “Out of the Box Thinker”. Some are very thought provoking and remember you only get one chance to impress…

The answers are at the end of the article…

Question 1
You are driving along in a car on a wild, stormy night. It’s raining heavily, when suddenly you pass by a bus stop and you see three people waiting for the bus:
An old lady who looks as if she is about to die…
An old friend who once saved your life.
The perfect partner you have been dreaming of your whole life.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing very well that there could only be one passenger in your car?

Question 2
What will you do if I run away with your sister?

Question 3
An interviewer ordered a cup of coffee for a candidate.
He placed the coffee in front of the candidate and asked, what is before you?

Answers
Question 1
This is a moral, ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.
You could pick up the old lady because she is going to die and thus you should save her first.
You could take the old friend because he once saved your life and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back.
However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate again…

The candidate simply answered:
“I would give the car keys to my old friend and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the partner of my dreams…

Question 2
The candidate who was selected answered “ I will not get a better match for my sister than you sir”

Question 3
Candidate instantly replied, tea.
He got selected.
Why did he say tea when he knew very well that coffee was kept before him?
Answer: The question was “What is before you (U alphabet)
The reply was tea (T – alphabet)
Alphabet T was before Alphabet “U”

Now how did you fare with these 3 questions and how much of the “Out of the Box Thinker” are you….