The “Flip an Egg” Question: The Epic Interview Story
By Paul Freed, Managing Partner | Herd Freed Hartz
Celebrating 25 Years of Executive Search Placements in the Northwest
How A Simple Question Can Transform Your Executive Hiring Process
What if you could ask just one interview question and achieve a remarkably high degree of hiring success?
Here’s the story of when that actually happened—and how you can put this concept to work in your next search. This story goes back to my summer job in my hometown of Bend, Oregon. As a college kid, I was prepping food in the commercial kitchen at Seventh Mountain Resort for the restaurant and large banquets.
One day, I saw the head chef interviewing a candidate for a breakfast line cook position during a kitchen tour. While chopping lettuce nearby, I overheard him ask the candidate, “OK—flip an egg.”
Curious, I watched the real-time interview unfold. The candidate walked to the commercial fridge, grabbed two eggs, added oil to a cast iron skillet, and fired up the burner. When the pan was hot, he cracked both eggs with one hand and tossed the shells—without looking—straight into the garbage can. He swirled the pan and flipped them with a smooth, confident motion.
The head chef smiled and said, “Great—you start on Monday,” then walked away. Interview over. Hire made.
As a business major (and maybe the future recruiter in me surfacing), I tracked the chef down in the walk-in fridge. “Hey Chef,” I asked, “I saw your interview for the line cook. Was that really the entire thing?”
He laughed. “Yes. I used to spend an hour with every candidate asking a bunch of standard HR behavioral questions. Over the years, I realized some were far more useful than others. Then it hit me: the way a cook holds the pan, cracks an egg, and flips it tells me more about their skill than anything else. So for the last few years I’ve just asked that one question—and it’s worked better than everything else combined.”
It’s a great story, but I’m not suggesting you hire your next executive with a single question. What I am saying is that interviews don’t need to be long, boring, or time-consuming.
Here are the key takeaways I’ve used ever since:
MORE ISN’T MORE.
You don’t need a full hour and a rigid checklist. I like to lead with 2–3 pivotal questions early to quickly see if someone is qualified and the right fit. If it clicks, we go deep. If not, I’m comfortable ending the conversation early. Everyone’s time is respected.
GOOD VS. GREAT.
I ask hiring managers: “From your experience filling this role, what separates the ‘good’ from the ‘great’ talent?” Their answers always produce the best screening questions. Example: Recruiting a VP of Engineering for a tech startup, the CEO said great leaders always connect technical work to customer experience. I asked every candidate that early—and it made the difference.
WHAT MATTERS MOST.
When you get a long wishlist, ask: “Of all these items, which one matters most right now?” For a CFO search at a Texas steel construction firm, the CEO highlighted deep expertise in WIP (Work in Process) accounting and transfer pricing on complex projects. Asking that early helped us focus and hire the perfect fit.
WHERE OTHERS FALL SHORT.
If the search has been running a while and frustration is showing, I ask: “Where have past candidates fallen short? What’s one thing you’re not getting that you really want?” One CEO shared that previous VP of Construction candidates lacked insight into their unique EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) approach. We added that dimension (even though it wasn’t on the job description) and prepped future candidates accordingly.
THE LITMUS TEST QUESTION.
In business, a litmus test is that single, decisive indicator that quickly reveals fit. When hiring a CTO for a regional broadband company, the requirement was specific: experience leading the shift from an Active Network to GPON using Calix equipment. One targeted question early saved weeks of interviews.
PERSONALITY TRAITS OVER PEDIGREE.
Some roles need innovation, comfort with ambiguity, and creative problem-solving—qualities that matter more than any checklist item. I ask: “What common traits do your most successful team members share?” For a Senior Sales role, the Chief Revenue Officer said, “Our top performers all have competitive sports backgrounds.” That insight became part of the process and proved to be an unusually strong predictor of grit, discipline, and drive.
Elon Musk’s favorite interview question—“Tell me about something hard you accomplished”—is another great example. It opens the door to real stories of resilience, ingenuity, and results.
THE IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION.
For roles that tackle new territory, some companies use brainteasers not for the right answer, but to watch how someone thinks. When helping Microsoft in the mid-90s with technical recruiting hires, they were famous for questions like “How many gas stations are in the US?” Candidates would spend 10–15 minutes reasoning on a whiteboard. It was their version of “flip an egg”—and it helped them hire exceptional problem-solvers.
Cut Though the Interview Noise
The beauty of the “flip an egg” mindset is its elegant simplicity. At Herd Freed Hartz, we help clients cut through the noise with focused, high-impact interviews that find the right leaders faster and with far less frustration. If you’re ready to make your hiring process more efficient and effective, I’d love to share how we can bring this precision to your next search.