--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always ask candidates two things: 'How…" description: "\"I always ask candidates two things: 'How many times have you been fired?' and, 'Do you watch your clock when it's time to go? Do you look at your phone..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/tilman-j-fertitta-15232_candidates_i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-m_545882.jpg" --- # I always ask candidates two things: 'How many times have… ![“I always ask candidates two things: 'How many times have you been fired?' and, 'Do you watch your clock when it's time to go? Do you look at your phone? Do you look at your watch?'” quote by Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/tilman-j-fertitta-15232_candidates_i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-m_545882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/tilman-j-fertitta-15232_candidates_i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-m_545882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/tilman-j-fertitta-15232_candidates_i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-m_545882.jpg) > “I always ask candidates two things: 'How many times have you been fired?' and, 'Do you watch your clock when it's time to go? Do you look at your phone? Do you look at your watch?'” [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He probes candidates on resilience and time awareness, using firing frequency and clock‑watching to gauge adaptability and focus. **In simple terms:** Ask about being fired and time‑watching to test resilience and focus. Key Takeaway Use tough questions to reveal work ethic. Themes resilience focus accountability Mood analytical critical Type practical professional When to use this quote - hiring - performance evaluation - career development Key Concepts psychometrics behavioral interview leadership assessment Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess authenticity in responses? - What alternative metrics show resilience? A Different Perspective Candidates may feel pressured, skewing honesty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We never ask candidates to demonstrate their skill. We ask lots of questions about past experience, but simply looking at the results of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-menkes/we-never-ask-candidates-to-demonstrate-their-skill-we-ask-lots-of/) [Justin Menkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-menkes/) > [When I ask candidates to tell me about their weaknesses, I am hoping for a wise, honest, and self-confident answer. When I hear a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-sink/when-i-ask-candidates-to-tell-me-about-their-weaknesses-i-am-hoping/) [Eric Sink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-sink/) > [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Hillary Clinton is the least popular candidate for president ever except for Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pickering/hillary-clinton-is-the-least-popular-candidate-for-president-ever/) Charlie Pickering > [The reason that minorities and women don't have a better shot at getting elected to the Senate or to statewide office is because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/the-reason-that-minorities-and-women-don-t-have-a-better-shot-at/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [I like candidates who tell me something that is going to make a difference to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/i-like-candidates-who-tell-me-something-that-is-going-to-make-a/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) > [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate, but he didn't catch on. And the extraordinary thing about this Republican primary is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establishment-candidate-but-he-didn-t/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) Victor Gold > [If Robert Heinlein is more to your taste than George Lucas: “If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Progressive Conservative candidates from Quebec want to exert real power in Ottawa, not simply be content with playing a secondary role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-campbell/progressive-conservative-candidates-from-quebec-want-to-exert-real/) [Kim Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-campbell/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) ## More by Tilman J. Fertitta > [We're all born with different talents. I'm really not that smart, but I can see things - financially and development-wise. It's just the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/we-re-all-born-with-different-talents-i-m-really-not-that-smart-but-i/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [I know all three facets of the business: the development side, the operations side, and I know how to borrow the money and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/i-know-all-three-facets-of-the-business-the-development-side-the/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [When you have to stay late, you stay late, and when you don't have to stay late, you go home. But, you do whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/when-you-have-to-stay-late-you-stay-late-and-when-you-don-t-have-to/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [You have to know your strengths and weaknesses. If you don't have a particular strength, you need to go out and replace that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/you-have-to-know-your-strengths-and-weaknesses-if-you-don-t-have-a/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [We will do whatever it takes to keep Tom Herman at the University of Houston. We're not going to lose Tom Herman because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/we-will-do-whatever-it-takes-to-keep-tom-herman-at-the-university-of/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [You've got to stay strong to be strong in tough times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/you-ve-got-to-stay-strong-to-be-strong-in-tough-times/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [For years, people have been trying to talk to me about doing a show, and I wouldn't do one because I'm a serious business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/for-years-people-have-been-trying-to-talk-to-me-about-doing-a-show/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [I have no issue with raising minimum wage, but then the customer can't say to us, 'Why are you raising your prices?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/i-have-no-issue-with-raising-minimum-wage-but-then-the-customer-can-t/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [Everybody notices if you're the last one in in the morning and the first one to go in the evening. Always remember that as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/everybody-notices-if-you-re-the-last-one-in-in-the-morning-and-the/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [Don't ever let your business get ahead of the financial side of your business. Accounting, accounting, accounting. Know your numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/don-t-ever-let-your-business-get-ahead-of-the-financial-side-of-your/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [We don't use consultants at Landry's. We're our consultants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/we-don-t-use-consultants-at-landry-s-we-re-our-consultants/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [I must have a God-given talent, which is the ability to multitask, plus I have great retention. I'm not the smartest guy, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/i-must-have-a-god-given-talent-which-is-the-ability-to-multitask-plus/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [When we buy somebody, we cut the head off. We keep the operators who are looking - I hate to use this term -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/when-we-buy-somebody-we-cut-the-head-off-we-keep-the-operators-who/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [People throw in the towel because they don't know how to fight. You'd be surprised how much fight you have in you if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/people-throw-in-the-towel-because-they-don-t-know-how-to-fight-you-d/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [I ask people what they do in sales, how much money they made last year, what their cost of sales is, and they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/i-ask-people-what-they-do-in-sales-how-much-money-they-made-last-year/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) [Explore all 43 Tilman J. Fertitta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) ## More Candidates quotes > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Progressive Conservative candidates from Quebec want to exert real power in Ottawa, not simply be content with playing a secondary role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-campbell/progressive-conservative-candidates-from-quebec-want-to-exert-real/) [Kim Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-campbell/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [If Robert Heinlein is more to your taste than George Lucas: “If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) Victor Gold > [Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate, but he didn't catch on. And the extraordinary thing about this Republican primary is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establishment-candidate-but-he-didn-t/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [I like candidates who tell me something that is going to make a difference to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/i-like-candidates-who-tell-me-something-that-is-going-to-make-a/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) > [The reason that minorities and women don't have a better shot at getting elected to the Senate or to statewide office is because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/the-reason-that-minorities-and-women-don-t-have-a-better-shot-at/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [Hillary Clinton is the least popular candidate for president ever except for Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pickering/hillary-clinton-is-the-least-popular-candidate-for-president-ever/) Charlie Pickering > [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken American politics by storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/republican-presidential-candidate-donald-trump-has-taken-american/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [The study of Freemasonry is the study of man as a candidate for a blessed eternity. It furnishes examples of holy living, and displays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-study-of-freemasonry-is-the-study-of-man-as-a-candidate-for-a/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) Browse all 1,251 Candidates quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always ask candidates two things: 'How many times have you been fired?' and, 'Do you watch your clock when it's time to go? Do you look at your phone? Do you look at your watch?'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tilman J. Fertitta" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-many-times-have-you-been-fired/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Candidates" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-many-times-have-you-been-fired/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/tilman-j-fertitta-15232_candidates_i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-m_545882.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/tilman-j-fertitta-15232_candidates_i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-m_545882.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/tilman-j-fertitta-15232_candidates_i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-m_545882.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always ask candidates two things: 'How many times have you been fired?' and, 'Do you watch your clock when…” — Tilman J. Fertitta", "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": "Tilman J. Fertitta", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I always ask candidates two things:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-many-times-have-you-been-fired/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/i-always-ask-candidates-two-things-how-many-times-have-you-been-fired/#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 } } ] } ```