1. Outside of standard benefits, what benefits should a company offer employees?
2. What should the national minimum wage be?
3. How many sick days should be given to employees?
4. How often should employees get raises?
5. How do you feel about guns?
6. What are your feelings about employees or clients carrying guns?
7. What are your feelings about safe spaces in challenging work environments?
8. In a creative environment like The Silent Partner Marketing, what do you envision work attire looking like?
9. Should “trigger warnings” be issued before we release content for clients or the company that might be considered “controversial”?
10. How do you feel about police?
11. If you owned the company and were to find out that a client is operating unethically but was a high paying client…how would you handle it?
12. When was the last time you cried and why?
13. You arrive at an event for work and there’s a major celebrity you’ve always wanted to meet. What happens next?
14. What’s your favorite kind of adult beverage?
15. What’s the best way to communicate with clients?
16. What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?
17. What are your thoughts on the current college environment as it pertains to a future workforce?
18. What’s your typical breakfast?
19. What’s your favorite drink when you go to a coffeehouse?
20. How do you handle bullies?
21. How do you handle it when your ideas are shot down?
22. What do you do if a coworker comes to the table with an idea and it sucks?
23. What does the first amendment mean to you?
24. What does faith mean to you?
25. Who is your role model and why?
26. "You're in Starbucks with two friends. Someone runs in and says someone is coming in with a gun in 15 seconds to shoot patrons. They offer you a gun. Do you take it? What do you do next?"
27. What does America mean to you?
28. You see someone stepping on an American flag. What do you do?
29. What does “privilege” mean to you?
30. What’s more important? Book smarts or street smarts? Why?
To #26, why am I in a Starbucks?
Kyle Reyes: New Boston Post: You Want The Original Snowflake Test? Here It Is.
What are the correct answers? Just curious.
THE SNOWFLAKE TEST ANSWER KEY
1. Outside of standard benefits, what benefits should a company offer employees?
Whatever the company finds advantageous to maintain a stable and committed work force.
2. What should the national minimum wage be?
There should not be a minimum wage.
3. How many sick days should be given to employees?
As many as the company finds is necessary to maintain a stable and committed work force, and no more. Two weeks a year, carried over, with a maximum accumulation of six weeks sounds about right.
4. How often should employees get raises?
As often as they earn them.
5. How do you feel about guns?
I’ll take more, please. I’m a big fan of secure storage. YMMV.
6. What are your feelings about employees or clients carrying guns?
Wary, but not opposed.
7. What are your feelings about safe spaces in challenging work environments?
No.
8. In a creative environment like The Silent Partner Marketing, what do you envision work attire looking like?
For men: Black formal shoes, black socks, suit pants, black belt, broadcloath shirt, conservative tie, Mac, and a suit jacket that matches the paints on a hanger for client meetings.
For women: I have no idea. Professional and modest.
9. Should “trigger warnings” be issued before we release content for clients or the company that might be considered “controversial”?
No.
10. How do you feel about police?
I support the police. I treat them with courtesy and respect.
11. If you owned the company and were to find out that a client is operating unethically but was a high paying client…how would you handle it?
I would look at the situation to make sure there was no exposure for the company. Even if I found none, I would be careful, going forward, dealing with that client, because somebody who is unethical in one thing is more likely to be unethical in other things.
12. When was the last time you cried and why?
Last Sunday, in church.
13. You arrive at an event for work and there’s a major celebrity you’ve always wanted to meet. What happens next?
I would do my job. If, during the course of business, I met the person, I would shake His hand and wish him a nice day., and get on with the task at hand.
14. What’s your favorite kind of adult beverage?
Yuengling Beer.
15. What’s the best way to communicate with clients?
Telephone.
16. What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?
Farm.
17. What are your thoughts on the current college environment as it pertains to a future workforce?
College graduates are going to have to make some tough transitions to fit into the workforce. The best will have ignored all of the campus nonsense. The company should seek these out.
18. What’s your typical breakfast?
Eggs and toast with coffee.
19. What’s your favorite drink when you go to a coffeehouse?
Coffee.
20. How do you handle bullies?
I push back until he moves on. After that, I work with him, without rancor. Later, when we are colleagues or I’m his boss, I will discuss how to deal with others in the workplace.
21. How do you handle it when your ideas are shot down?
If you don’t like that one, I have another. If one in ten of your ideas is adopted, you’re very lucky.
22. What do you do if a coworker comes to the table with an idea and it sucks?
I tell him his idea sucks. I tell him why and offer improvements. Many bad ideas can be salvaged, if the person is challenged to improve them.
23. What does the first amendment mean to you?
The government can not restrict free speech or establish a religion. My employer is not the government (unless they are, of course).
24. What does faith mean to you?
Faith gives purpose to Life.
25. Who is your role model and why?
Chuck Yeager, because he has The Right Stuff.
26. “You’re in Starbucks with two friends. Someone runs in and says someone is coming in with a gun in 15 seconds to shoot patrons. They offer you a gun. Do you take it? What do you do next?”
I take the gun, check to see that it is loaded, and take up a concealed position to the right of the door, because I am right-handed.
27. What does America mean to you?
America is the greatest country that ever was, or ever is likely to be. I won the lottery just by being born in America.
28. You see someone stepping on an American flag. What do you do?
If the opportunity arises, I will steal that flag and bring it to the nearest VFW for proper disposal.
29. What does “privilege” mean to you?
Privilege is an enhanced position acquired either by luck, heredity, or effort.
It is a good thing, as Martha Stewart used to say.
30. What’s more important? Book smarts or street smarts? Why?
Book smarts, because I am an engineer. Without book smarts, I would wind up in sales, and who wants that?
Some good questions there, but my privacy leanings would probably nuke me since I would answer “nunya business” to a number of them.
Interesting test, and thought provoking. I’d like to see candidates for office answer these questions.
2. What should the national minimum wage be? * Why do we even have a minimum wage? The market should set the rate of pay based on demand.
3. How many sick days should be given to employees? * 5
4. How often should employees get raises? * Depends. Merit raises for initiatives that increase profitability helps identify employees who are committed instead of clock punchers. Employees should get regular reviews to ensure they are meeting expectations. To retain experienced help, an annual COL raise should be considered.
5. How do you feel about guns? * Americans have the right to keep and bear arms.
6. What are your feelings about employees or clients carrying guns? * Americans have the right to keep and bear arms.
7. What are your feelings about safe spaces in challenging work environments? * I am not amenable to the concept of safe spaces.
8. In a creative environment like The Silent Partner Marketing, what do you envision work attire looking like? * Whatever the corporation determines is the best attire for the work and company image.
9. Should “trigger warnings” be issued before we release content for clients or the company that might be considered “controversial”? * No.
10. How do you feel about police? * Very warmly. I have family and friends that are law enforcement officers.
11. If you owned the company and were to find out that a client is operating unethically but was a high paying client…how would you handle it? * Terminate the relationship.
12. When was the last time you cried and why? * When my child was hospitalized.
13. You arrive at an event for work and there’s a major celebrity you’ve always wanted to meet. What happens next? * I continue to do my job. The client is there for his benefit, not mine.
14. What’s your favorite kind of adult beverage? * I do not drink adult beverages.
15. What’s the best way to communicate with clients? * It depends. Email, phone, written correspondence, face to face meetings; it is predicated on what you are trying to communicate and to which audience.
16. What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time? * Be with family.
17. What are your thoughts on the current college environment as it pertains to a future workforce? * Toxic. It will be harder for employers to find dedicated staff.
18. What’s your typical breakfast? * Sliced melon, bacon, water.
19. What’s your favorite drink when you go to a coffeehouse? * I do not frequent coffeehouses. If meeting a client, cold sweet tea.
20. How do you handle bullies? * I do not back down.
21. How do you handle it when your ideas are shot down? * I try to determine where it failed. Was I missing some essential information that made it not feasible or cumbersome; did it fail to meet the objective? Focus on the process.
22. What do you do if a coworker comes to the table with an idea and it sucks? * Thank them for their input and for their effort. Redirect attention to the idea as a process and work through it with them, identifying weaknesses. This exercise will better prepare them to revamp their existing idea and avoid similar weaknesses in future ideas.
23. What does the first amendment mean to you? * All rights are freedoms (whether they be thought, word, or action). The first includes many (religion, speech, assembly, press). All rights must be vigorously defended, even if you don't agree with them.
24. What does faith mean to you? * Believing without seeing.
25. Who is your role model and why? * My parents; religious, hardworking, smart, loving, gracious, and honorable.
26. "You're in Starbucks with two friends. Someone runs in and says someone is coming in with a gun in 15 seconds to shoot patrons. They offer you a gun. Do you take it? What do you do next?" * Presuming I do not have my own, I take it, check the ammo while commanding others to take cover or get to the back, and assume a defensive position by the door. Preventing them from entering the store is now priority.
27. What does America mean to you? * The best country in the world; my home.
28. You see someone stepping on an American flag. What do you do? * I'm not happy about it, but it is their right to do it.
29. What does “privilege” mean to you? * Something you have not earned; a gift; a perk of membership.
30. What’s more important? Book smarts or street smarts? Why? * Both have their place. Book smarts can empower you; street smarts dictate how adeptly you can utilize that power.