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What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Logic Based Interview Questions
Logic-based interview questions, also known as logical interview questions, are those that are designed to assess a candidate's reasoning and problem-solving skills. These types of questions are often used by employers to evaluate a candidate's ability to think critically and make sound decisions. They are often used when recruiting technically biased sales team members such as presales, sales engineers, and application engineers.
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Advantages of Logic-Based Interview Questions
Some advantages of logic-based interview questions include:
- Assessing problem-solving skills: Logic-based questions can effectively assess a candidate's ability to identify and solve problems, which is an essential skill in many jobs.
- Evaluating critical thinking skills: These types of questions can also help to assess a candidate's critical thinking skills and ability to analyse and evaluate information.
- Standardised assessment: Logic-based questions can provide a standardised method for evaluating candidates, which can help to reduce bias and ensure that all candidates are assessed fairly.
- Realistic job preview: By asking candidates to solve real problems they may encounter on the job. Logic-based questions can also provide a realistic job preview and help organisations better when assessing the candidate's fit for the role.
Disadvantages of Logic-Based Interview Questions
Some potential disadvantages of logic-based interview questions include:
- Limited focus on other skills: By focusing on logical reasoning and problem-solving skills, these types of questions may place less emphasis on other important skills and qualities, such as interpersonal skills or creativity.
- Stereotyping and Bias: Some research has suggested that logic-based questions may be more likely to stereotype candidates and may be less effective at predicting job performance for certain groups of people, such as women or minorities.
- Difficulty in writing good questions: Crafting practical and effective logic-based questions can be challenging, and scoring, unless it is a ‘yes/no’ or ’right/’wrong’ answer, can be subjective without a scoring mechanism. There is a risk that poorly written questions may not accurately assess a candidate's skills and therefore deem the exercise pointless. Without an effective and rigorous scoring system, questions such as Google’s ‘How do you make a cup of tea in space’ (‘In the Plex’, Levy, 2011) are worth not much more than an ego trip for the interviewer.
Overall, logic-based interview questions can be a valuable tool for evaluating a candidate's reasoning and problem-solving skills. However, it is crucial to consider the potential disadvantages and ensure that other skills and qualities are assessed adequately in the hiring process.
Date published: 1st March 2024
by Lucy Burrows
Recruitment Consultant
About the author
Lucy Burrows
Lucy is a diligent and stealthily competitive recruiter passionate about delivering clients’ expectations and helping candidates perform their best in interviews. She thrives on ensuring that the role is suitable for every candidate and hearing about the successes of her placements. Her content is straightforward, easy-to-read advice focused on first interview tips.
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