What would you do if your first interview question was...

[NewJeffCT]

My wife went to an interview last week for what seemed like a good job in a good location. I think it was a Director of Procurement or Director of Purchasing or something like that.

The first question she was asked was, "How much of a kickback do you get when dealing with your suppliers?" (meaning, a supplier would say to my wife, "buy my component/part and I'll give you X dollars under the table as thanks&quot

WTF?

My wife is too polite in that sort of situation to walk out of the interview, but why would somebody ask about illegal activity on the very first question? She told them that it was very rare for her to get that kind of offer, which is true.

I guess the rest of the interview wasn't much better.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. I would have answered:

I have never been put in that position before. So, I guess the correct answer would be Zero.

then Shut Up and wait for the next question.

[HappyMe]

2. Maybe they have had problems

in the past with this. They are checking for honesty & such?

[Chan790]

3. My mother asks that question.

She's an VP (overseeing logistics, sales and procurement) at a defense contractor, the only correct answer is "None and I'm offended you'd ask" or something very similar.

So why ask it at-all? Simply because there are some very-shady disreputable people in logistics that take their primary source of income off bribes or skimming from their employer and/or clients (The client in this case indirectly being USDoD or the armed services in every case.) Some of them when confronted with such a question in a neutral tone are dumb enough to think that they've met someone who appreciates "how the business works" or an employer that is permissive of graft and corruption; those idiots readily cop to being a crook.

[NewJeffCT]

6. Thanks

Last edited Tue Apr 3, 2012, 01:10 PM - Edit history (1)

Hadn't thought of that. My wife has been offered money before, but it's usually by small to mid-sized suppliers hoping to get "in" with a big company. The larger, more well established suppliers don't need to do that.

Edited to add - my wife got a bad feeling about these people throughout the interview. It wasn't just the first question.

[HopeHoops]

4. "I wouldn't work with such a supplier or for a company that condoned such activity."

That's a short route to the door, and a polite one.

[pipi_k]

5. Totally unexpected

question that I would first be all like WTF? to myself...no doubt looking surprised and puzzled as hell

then, after recovering my senses, I would come back with the question, "But isn't that illegal and immoral?"

I think they're looking more for people's initial reactions than any real answer.