Realize that an interview is more like a date, and the question is merely a means to a conversation. i.e. the interview depends as much on the interviewER, as

Realize that an interview is more like a date, and the question is merely a means to a conversation. i.e. the interview depends as much on the interviewER, as it does on the interviewEE. Questions matter, but what matters far more, is how the interviewer judges the interviewee. I've worked with Nicholas Zakas before. He is a sharp and thoughtful person. Plus, he has probably given this question hundreds of times, to have a strong BS detector. And there will be several followup questions he will ask, to separate the wheat from the chaff. So, is this the only question that can identify great candidates? No. Is this one good one, that fits his evaluation style and his values? Yes, and that's what he is sharing with us. [About me: I run http://InterviewKickstart.com http://InterviewKickstart.com in the valley. We prepare candidates for technical interviews, and deal with a variety of these situations every day]