Top News

We’ve all heard about some pretty wild questions and sneaky tests that bosses use in their job interviews, but the question that Indeed CEO Chris Hyams asks might take the cake for being the most puzzling. He always asks candidates what kind of phone they have, even though he says there’s no right answer.

The job market has grown increasingly competitive in recent years, so it makes sense that hiring managers would be looking for more ways to differentiate between candidates.

The CEO asks every job candidate whether they have an iPhone or an Android phone.

In an interview with Fortune, Hyams clarified that he is not one of those people who judge people based on the kind of phone they have. Instead, he’s used the question in more than 3,000 interviews over 15 years to get a sense for how people think.

“I’m mostly curious about how people make decisions,” he said. “And it’s actually a long 15-minute series of back-and-forth on this, where I get to learn a little bit about the human being, and about how they make decisions.”

Tima Miroshnichenko | Pexels

Hyams’ goal with the question is to learn more about the person sitting across from him instead of determining what software they’re more familiar with. He explained that asking about owning an iPhone or Android sometimes prompts people to open up more about their interests.

“You can actually have a really interesting set of conversations around how important it is when you choose a product, that you can get stuck with that thing for a very, very long time,” he added. “I ask people what apps they use, and that’s a way to learn a little bit about them.”

: The Job Market Is So Bad, Survey Finds Most People Looking For Work Just Don’t Care Anymore

Research shows there are some differences between iPhone and Android users.

In a 2016 study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, researchers noted that the two systems are “very similar in functionality,” but the people who own the phones still have “key individual differences.”

They studied 312 iPhone owners and 220 Android owners, and found that iPhone users were more likely to be younger and women. Android users were typically more humble and open, and were also less likely to consider their phone some kind of status symbol.

Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels

While some people choose iPhones because they’re more familiar with them, it’s not surprising that others do see their use of an iPhone as a status symbol. There’s something about that recognizable Apple logo that an Android can’t quite replicate.

Higher levels of honesty and humility mean that someone isn’t entitled or caught up in wanting to live a life of luxury. Android users reflect these qualities by not worrying as much about brand recognition and not feeling the need to show off.

: CEO Admits To Using A Sneaky Tactic To Find Out What Job Applicants Were Really Like Before The Interview

These traits can be very telling, but using someone’s phone as a way to find out more about them as a person is also revealing.

Hyams could use research like this to get a general idea of what characteristics his job applicants possess, but it sounds like he cares more about what they share as a result of the question than whether they own an iPhone or Android.

Anna Shvets | Pexels

Technically, your interests don’t have to be directly to your job. A retail worker who loves painting isn’t going to be doing much of that at work, after all. What you do in your free time can tell others a lot about your character, though, and in a world so centered around technology, there’s a good chance that the apps you use could give someone insight into your hobbies.

Your interests can guide you in your job search as well, especially if that’s important to you. Certain types of people are probably going to succeed more in some roles than others, so Hyams may be able to glean a lot of useful information from a simple conversation about how someone uses their phone.

: If It Seems Like Your Phone Is Reading Your Mind, Tech Expert Says That’s Because It Basically Is — Here’s How

Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.