Would you survive a job interview with Jefferson K Rogers? The CEO and founder of JKR Windows has a controversial tactic for weeding out candidates—and it’s causing quite a stir.
Rogers, who’s taken to TikTok to share his hiring philosophies, revealed a question he asks every interviewee. The catch? He knows they can’t answer it. But their reaction tells him everything he needs to know about their personality.
@jeffersonkrogers Never fall for this trick in an interview… Remember, you don’t have to know everything, you just have to be coachable. ##interviewtips #knowitall #shocking #popular #omg #trending #foryoupage #psychologyfacts #careeradvice #jobinterview #jobtips #levelup ♬ original sound – Jefferson Rogers
According to Rogers, “This is the easiest way to decide if you’re gonna be a fit for my company.”
Here’s how it works: Rogers poses a question so obscure that even the best-prepared candidate wouldn’t know the answer. If they attempt to fake their way through, it’s an instant red flag. For Rogers, this signals a lack of coachability and openness—qualities he values highly.
“If you’re gonna try and elaborate on some very intelligent answer that you know nothing about, it gives me a pretty good idea about what kind of personality you have,” Rogers explained.
But don’t rush to figure out what the mystery question might be—he isn’t spilling the beans. Instead, he offers advice on how to respond:
“I don’t know anything about that right now,” he suggests saying. “But it sounds really interesting to me, and I promise I’m going to come in here, give it my all, be coachable, and absorb as much as possible to add value to you and the team.”
While Rogers sees this as a way to avoid hiring the wrong people, not everyone agrees. In fact, his method has sparked a wave of criticism online.
“It’s also a good indicator of a toxic boss,” one commenter wrote. Another chimed in, “Asking me that question tells me you like to play games, and I don’t have time for that.”
Others questioned his leadership skills. “This also says a lot about your leadership,” one person remarked, while another concluded, “Yeah, I don’t want to work for closed-minded owners who think they have the only correct answer to something.”
So, is Rogers onto something with his unconventional approach? Or does this strategy say more about him than the candidates? Let us know what you think in the comments—and don’t forget to share this article with friends who’ve been on the job hunt!
