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Thomas Edison interviewed candidates for research assistant positions, he offered them a bowl of soup. Why? He wanted to see whether they would add salt or pepper to the soup before they tasted it.

Those who did were automatically ruled out. Edison wanted people who didn't make assumptions, since assumptions tend to be innovation killers.

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Cool anecdote, but ultimately unrealistic. If I make a job posting on LinkedIn for a front end developer for example, I will get up to 500 (USA) applicants. Filters (such as absolutely no cryptobros) are a tool for finding the best applicant.

> Edison wanted people who didn't make assumptions, since assumptions tend to be innovation killers.

... this was the man who assumed DC power was superior to Tesla's AC power and made every effort he could to stand in the way of innovations that threatened his own bottom line.

What an asshole.

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