Email Jim at jim.thompson@ipulpmedia.com

My favorite test to determine a candidate's pre-disposition for neatness is to ask at a random time during the interview process if we can go out and look at their car. If they volunteer that this is OK, no problem. If they hedge, I will not hire them.

Of course, if they are driving a rental because they flew into town for the interview, this may not be indicative. However, I have seen some people even trash a rental within fifteen miles. Yet, the rental is not likely to be an accurate indicator.

If they happen to open a briefcase during the interview, you can get a quick look, but that is also not very accurate. It would be a borderline HR problem if you ask them to open their briefcase. That is a bit personal.

The other way to do this is to stage a vacant, very messy office and ask them to organize it. Give them half an hour and leave them alone while they do this. Come back, examine what they did and have them go through it, explaining their logic.

Yes, this is how important I think housekeeping is. Good housekeeping saves mental time and physical time. It prevents accidents and fires. It raises standards.

I think you could tell a new experienced hire to focus on housekeeping in the area of their responsibility for their first few weeks. This may be the best job orientation that there is.

I don't believe people that tell me they can change. Changing habits is hard. It is hard enough to change the habits of personnel one inherits; I don't want to hire any that need help.

This is the third week of housekeeping month, so by now you should be able to see how important I believe it is. It makes so much else so much simpler.

Be safe and we will talk next week.

For a deeper dive, go here.

Study Guide: Pre-Hire Employee Housekeeping Assessment

This study guide provides a comprehensive review of Jim Thompson's methodologies and philosophies regarding the assessment of neatness and housekeeping habits in potential employees. It explores the rationale behind non-traditional testing and the organizational value of maintaining an orderly workspace.

Part 1: Short-Answer Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in two to three sentences based on the provided text.

1. What is Jim Thompson's preferred method for assessing a candidate's natural inclination toward neatness?
2. Why might a candidate's vehicle be an unreliable indicator of their housekeeping habits in certain interview scenarios?
3. What is the potential risk associated with asking a candidate to open their briefcase during an interview?
4. Describe the "messy office" test and how it is administered.
5. What specific organizational benefits does Thompson attribute to good housekeeping?
6. How does Thompson suggest using housekeeping as a tool for onboarding new experienced hires?
7. What is Thompson's perspective on a candidate's ability to change their habits after being hired?
8. How does the author view the management of inherited personnel versus the selection of new hires?
9. What is the underlying logic behind the "messy office" test once the candidate has completed the task?
10. According to the author, how does housekeeping affect the overall complexity of other tasks?

Part 2: Answer Key

1. Thompson's preferred method is to ask candidates at a random point during the interview if he can inspect their car. He uses their willingness to comply and the state of the vehicle as a primary indicator of their predisposition for neatness.
2. A vehicle is an unreliable indicator if the candidate has flown into town and is using a rental car. While some may trash a rental quickly, it generally does not provide an accurate reflection of their long-term personal habits.
3. Asking to see inside a briefcase is considered a "borderline HR problem" because it is viewed as an invasion of personal space. While a quick look is possible if the candidate opens it themselves, a direct request is deemed too personal.
4. The "messy office" test involves placing a candidate in a vacant, disorganized office and giving them thirty minutes to organize it alone. Afterward, the interviewer examines the results and asks the candidate to explain the logic behind their organizational choices.
5. Good housekeeping is cited as a way to save both mental and physical time while preventing accidents and fires. Furthermore, it serves to raise the overall standards within a professional environment.
6. Thompson suggests that the best job orientation for a new experienced hire is to have them focus exclusively on housekeeping within their area of responsibility for the first few weeks. This reinforces the importance of order from the start of their tenure.
7. Thompson is skeptical of those who claim they can change, noting that changing habits is extremely difficult. He prefers to hire individuals who already possess the desired traits rather than attempting to reform them.
8. Thompson notes that it is already difficult enough to change the habits of personnel one inherits in a leadership role. Consequently, he avoids hiring new individuals who he believes will require help or intervention to maintain standards.
9. The goal of the "messy office" test is not just to see the final result, but to understand the candidate's thought process. By having them explain their logic, the interviewer gains insight into how the candidate prioritizes and structures their work.
10. The author asserts that housekeeping makes "so much else so much simpler" for the organization. By maintaining order, the complexities of daily operations are reduced, leading to greater efficiency.

Part 3: Essay Questions

Instructions: Use the themes and arguments presented in the source text to develop detailed responses to the following prompts.

1. The Ethics and Utility of Non-Traditional Interviewing: Evaluate the effectiveness of using personal property, such as a vehicle, as a proxy for professional performance. Discuss the balance between an employer's need for information and a candidate's right to privacy.
2. The Relationship Between Physical Environment and Operational Efficiency: Analyze Thompson's claim that housekeeping saves "mental time and physical time." How does the state of a physical workspace influence cognitive load and productivity?
3. Habit Formation vs. Professional Training: Discuss Thompson's philosophy regarding the difficulty of changing habits. Is it more effective for an organization to focus on strict hiring criteria or on robust post-hire training and development?
4. Housekeeping as a Safety and Quality Standard: Explore the link between organizational neatness and the prevention of workplace hazards like fires and accidents. How does the "standard" of a workspace influence the quality of work produced within it?
5. The Logic of Organization: Using the "messy office" test as a framework, discuss why an individual's "logic" of organization is as important as the organization itself. How does one's approach to ordering a space reflect their broader problem-solving capabilities?

Part 4: Glossary of Key Terms

Term Definition

Housekeeping The practice of maintaining neatness and order in a workspace to improve efficiency and safety.

Pre-hire Test An assessment or exercise administered during the recruitment process to gauge a candidate's natural tendencies or skills.

Mental Time The cognitive effort and duration required to process information or find items; reduced by an organized environment.

Physical Time The actual duration spent performing tasks or navigating a workspace; minimized through efficient organization.

Job Orientation The initial period of training and integration for a new employee; Thompson suggests focusing this period on housekeeping.

Standards The level of quality or excellence maintained within an organization, which is elevated through consistent neatness.

Inherited Personnel Existing employees that a manager or leader becomes responsible for upon taking a position, as opposed to new hires they select themselves.

HR Problem A potential legal or ethical violation of human resources protocols, such as encroaching on a candidate's personal privacy.

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