“If people are coming to an interview it is absolutely imperative that they do their homework on the product,”

This was the opening line from husband and wife duo Andrew and Debbie as they set about their standards for finding a new product developer for their food business Heck.

Heck, based in Yorkshire, were looking for someone to join the team and oversee the development for new sausage flavours from initial taster experiments to mass production.

With a food scientist and experienced product developer knocking on the door, nobody was expecting a 26-year-old Pizza Express manager to snatch up the job.

Here is a lesson on doing your research before interviews.

The Job Interview S2 Heck

The Job Interview S2 Heck

To sort the hot dogs from the wieners, task one was to provide the companies strap-line, as owner Debbie quipped “if they’re not prepared then they’re not really that interested in the role”.

Leaving Twitter in shock, not one of the three candidates could muster the correct answer.

 

Next, and faced with naming 10 different types of sausages, hotshot chorizo enthusiast and Pizza Express manager Calum stormed through the process.

On the other hand, food scientist Raza was left stewing in a pool indecisive brine, unable to name any other sausage but a hot dog.

That’s not even a real sausage, mate.

Screen Shot: Raza fails to razzle and dazzle the interviewers

Screen Shot: Raza fails to razzle and dazzle the interviewers

Screen Shot: C4, The Job Interview

Screen Shot: C4, The Job Interview

Needles to say, the food scientist was first to crash out. He rudely answered his phone when talking to the receptionists in the waiting area, bamboozled interviewers with scientific food terminology, and probably has no idea what a toad in the hole is.

 

Youth v experience went down to pallet as Calum squared off against the freelance food developer Stuart, and Debbie piped up again adding “if you can’t do this then it’s the end of the road”.

Somehow, picking up on the taste of mozzarella and tomato hidden within one of the Heck chicken sausages, Calum stormed ahead with his incredibly accurate tastebuds.

Screen Shot: sausage expert Calum, The Job Interview

Screen Shot: sausage expert Calum, The Job Interview

Screen Shot: Heck interviewers, The Job Interview

Screen Shot: Heck interviewers, The Job Interview

The final challenge pitted the two against one-other, as they each pitched their idea for an innovative new flavour of sausage or burger.

Cal went with lambs in blankets while Stuart chucked “flippin Heck no meat” vegetarian burgers into the mix.

Oh Stuart, a sausage wrapped in bacon is always going to win.

Calum smashed the final stage with huge volumes of detail and research compared to his interview rival, deservedly given a job at the end of the show despite not having the direct experience.

Screen Shot: C4, The Job Interview

Screen Shot: C4, The Job Interview

A fresh gun to train up, Twitter was proud of Cal’s hard work having hand-delivered his CV and proven that passion for a role can often give you an edge over competition.

 

 

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