The Only Interview Method That Cuts Through the BS
Why Goldman Sachs Never Asked Me Behavioral Questions
At Acquisition.com, I interview every single person before they join any of our companies.
After 39 one-on-one interviews just to get hired at Goldman Sachs, then thousands of sales calls across industries, I’ve learned something that might save you from your next hiring mistake. Most companies still use interview methods designed for generic middle management roles in the industrial age. They ask “Tell me about a time when you were challenged with a coworker’s attitude” as if rehearsed stories predict modern work performance.
Here’s what I’ve discovered: situational interviews are archaic and completely impractical for today’s economy.
The Reverse Consulting Method
A-Players = Solve Real Problems × Spot Hidden Risks × Own Complex ProjectsThe methodology that consistently reveals actual performance involves three integrated components that simulate the pressure and complexity of real work.
1. Turn Your Interview Into a Consulting Session
Most interviews test storytelling ability instead of actual work capacity.
Present real problems you’re facing right now. Make them the consultant, you’re the client. Instead of behavioral questions, try: “We’re seeing 23% churn in our enterprise accounts. You have 30 days to diagnose and present solutions to leadership. Walk me through your approach.” You’ll hear how they actually think under pressure with incomplete information. The right candidates start probing for data sources within two minutes.
This reveals how candidates work in real situations instead of how well they memorized responses.
2. Ask for Bad Ideas Instead of Good Ones
Traditional interviews train candidates to give you perfect answers that reveal nothing about their judgment.
Flip the question to expose their risk assessment: “If we’re expanding into Europe next quarter, what would be some bad ideas that might initially look like good ideas to our board?” Strong candidates identify hidden risks others miss completely. No one prepares for this question. You see their actual analytical process in real time.
This method shows whether people can think about failure modes and second-order consequences.
3. Give Them Real Project Ownership
Situational questions assume past behavior predicts future performance, which made sense when jobs never changed.
Present complex challenges that mirror actual job complexity: “You own our Q4 product launch. $2.3M budget, 12-person team, hard deadline. Talk me through your approach and deliverables.” You’ll see how they break down complexity, identify dependencies, and choose what to delegate. The right person starts mapping stakeholders within minutes.
You’re watching them actually manage complexity instead of hearing stories about past situations.
Stop using situational interviews that are archaic and impractical. Use consulting-based scenarios to simulate working with them now.
Brutal truth: The person who gets excited about solving your problems during the interview is the same person who’ll get excited about solving them after you hire them.
I recommend you hire an ophthalmologist to advise you on sending out messages because pale yellow letters on a white background is virtually unreadable. Contrast is key.
Your advice on interviewing is excellent.
Thank you.