--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A good interviewer is able to ferret out…" description: "\"A good interviewer is able to ferret out what the applicant is really passionate about. Ask them what they do for fun, what they're reading, try and fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/nolan-bushnell-5525_able_a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out_1800030.png" --- # A good interviewer is able to ferret out what the… ![“A good interviewer is able to ferret out what the applicant is really passionate about. Ask them what they do for fun, what they're reading, try and find out if they have a life outside of work.” quote by Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/nolan-bushnell-5525_able_a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out_1800030.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/nolan-bushnell-5525_able_a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out_1800030.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/nolan-bushnell-5525_able_a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out_1800030.png) > “A good interviewer is able to ferret out what the applicant is really passionate about. Ask them what they do for fun, what they're reading, try and find out if they have a life outside of work.” [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective interviewers uncover genuine passion by exploring interests beyond work. **In simple terms:** Ask about hobbies to find true enthusiasm. Key Takeaway Probe beyond résumé for real drive. Themes recruitment authenticity passion Mood professional insightful Type advice practical When to use this quote - job interview - career counseling - team building Key Concepts behavioral interview psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance skill and passion? - What if passions are unrelated? A Different Perspective May miss skills not reflected in personal interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Applicant Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applicant-really-2022982/) [Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Interviewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-interviewer-2022980/) [Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview/) [Interviewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviewer/) [Interviewer Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviewer-able-2022981/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Outside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outside/) [Passionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passionate/) [Passionate Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passionate-ask-2022983/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not a good interviewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/i-m-not-a-good-interviewer/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [The key to being a good interviewer is to listen, no matter how heinous the act that person has committed, you have to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hansen/the-key-to-being-a-good-interviewer-is-to-listen-no-matter-how/) [Chris Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hansen/) > [An interview is only as good as both parties are willing to give to the interview and that includes the interviewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/an-interview-is-only-as-good-as-both-parties-are-willing-to-give-to/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [I'm not a go-in-for-the-kill kind of interviewer. It's a great thing to me, that kind of interviewer, but I'm not it. It doesn't play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-m-not-a-go-in-for-the-kill-kind-of-interviewer-it-s-a-great-thing/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [Interviews are vital, but you cannot allow an interviewer to take your life and disturb it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/interviews-are-vital-but-you-cannot-allow-an-interviewer-to-take-your/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [Oftentimes, if you're talking to a seasoned interviewer who asks you a question, they may do a follow-up if they didn't quite get it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/oftentimes-if-you-re-talking-to-a-seasoned-interviewer-who-asks-you-a/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [The interviewer should just tell me the words he wants me to say and I’ll repeat them after him. I think that would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/the-interviewer-should-just-tell-me-the-words-he-wants-me-to-say-and/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [The psychiatric interviewer is supposed to be doing three things: considering what the patient could mean by what he says; considering how he himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-stack-sullivan/the-psychiatric-interviewer-is-supposed-to-be-doing-three-things/) [Harry Stack Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-stack-sullivan/) > [A lot of times the interview relies not so much on the interviewee, but on the interviewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-johnson-jr/a-lot-of-times-the-interview-relies-not-so-much-on-the-interviewee/) [Ernie Johnson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-johnson-jr/) > [“I didn’t list listening as one of my skills, probably because I didn’t hear what the interviewer asked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-didn-t-list-listening-as-one-of-my-skills-probably-because-i-didn-t/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I think I have got a lot better as an interviewer. I let people talk now which is something you need to do. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-carr/i-think-i-have-got-a-lot-better-as-an-interviewer-i-let-people-talk/) [Alan Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-carr/) > [There are just so many brilliant voices out there. I'm not the funniest person out there, I'm not the best interviewer. I'm not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/there-are-just-so-many-brilliant-voices-out-there-i-m-not-the/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [“Interviewer (Louise Tucker): What did you want to be when you grew up? Have you always wanted to be a writer? IllumBerg: When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-illumberg/interviewer-louise-tucker-what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/) [Natasha IllumBerg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-illumberg/) > [Interviewer: What is your greatest regret? Gorey: That I don't have one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gorey/interviewer-what-is-your-greatest-regret-gorey-that-i-don-t-have-one/) [Edward Gorey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gorey/) > [“Once told by an interviewer, "Everybody would like to be Cary Grant," Grant is said to have replied, "So would I.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-grant/once-told-by-an-interviewer-everybody-would-like-to-be-cary-grant/) [Cary Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-grant/) ## More by Nolan Bushnell > [Some of the best projects to ever come out of Atari or Chuck E. Cheese's were from high school dropouts, college dropouts. One guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/some-of-the-best-projects-to-ever-come-out-of-atari-or-chuck-e-cheese/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [I guess I'd like to be known for being an innovator, fostering creativity, thinking outside the box. You know, keeping people playful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-guess-i-d-like-to-be-known-for-being-an-innovator-fostering/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [I've always been a tech-head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-ve-always-been-a-tech-head/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [In 1980, Atari was bringing in around two billion dollars in revenue and Chuck E. Cheese's some five hundred million. I still didn't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/in-1980-atari-was-bringing-in-around-two-billion-dollars-in-revenue/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [I believe that in games, when you're talking about pitting my wits and my brain against your wits and your brain, that simplicity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-believe-that-in-games-when-you-re-talking-about-pitting-my-wits-and/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [The subtle generational cues that make one thing cool and another uncool aren't always obvious to a parent. My children are my dinner-table sounding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/the-subtle-generational-cues-that-make-one-thing-cool-and-another/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [The truly creative people tend to be outliers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/the-truly-creative-people-tend-to-be-outliers/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [I'm a big believer in the Wii. I love the physicality of the Wii controller, and how you can get the feeling of throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-m-a-big-believer-in-the-wii-i-love-the-physicality-of-the-wii/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [Women were very, very good at 'Pong'. It was part of the dating scene. The number of people who told me they met their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/women-were-very-very-good-at-pong-it-was-part-of-the-dating-scene-the/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [Learning ballroom dancing is great for your brain. But it only works for three to six months. After that, you've got all the benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/learning-ballroom-dancing-is-great-for-your-brain-but-it-only-works/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [Walk to work, even if it's four miles. Ride a bike to work. Drive a different way. On your way there, try to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/walk-to-work-even-if-it-s-four-miles-ride-a-bike-to-work-drive-a/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [Hire for passion and intensity; there is training for everything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/hire-for-passion-and-intensity-there-is-training-for-everything-else/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [When I was running Atari, violence against humanoid figures was not allowed. We'd let you shoot at a tank... but we drew the line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/when-i-was-running-atari-violence-against-humanoid-figures-was-not/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [You wanna build your IQ higher in the next two years? Be uncomfortable. That means, learn something where you have a beginner's mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/you-wanna-build-your-iq-higher-in-the-next-two-years-be-uncomfortable/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [People hate to and will not read instructions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/people-hate-to-and-will-not-read-instructions/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) [Explore all 100 Nolan Bushnell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A good interviewer is able to ferret out what the applicant is really passionate about. Ask them what they do for fun, what they're reading, try and find out if they have a life outside of work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nolan Bushnell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out-what-the-applicant-is-really/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out-what-the-applicant-is-really/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/nolan-bushnell-5525_able_a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out_1800030.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/nolan-bushnell-5525_able_a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out_1800030.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/nolan-bushnell-5525_able_a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out_1800030.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A good interviewer is able to ferret out what the applicant is really passionate about. Ask them what they…” — Nolan Bushnell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nolan Bushnell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A good interviewer is able to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out-what-the-applicant-is-really/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/a-good-interviewer-is-able-to-ferret-out-what-the-applicant-is-really/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```