The Traitor Test: Interview Questions That Reveal Integrity (inspired by The Traitors Ireland)
The popularity of The Traitors Ireland has sparked national conversation about trust, character and teamwork — all qualities that matter deeply in the workplace. For Irish employers in 2025, the question is practical: how do you assess integrity in interviews so you hire dependable, trustworthy people — not potential problems? This guide gives hiring managers a ready-to-use “Traitor Test”: 12 evidence-based interview questions, scoring guidance, reference prompts and probation checks you can deploy today.
Why The Traitors Ireland matters to hiring managers in Ireland
The psychological themes on The Traitors Ireland — loyalty, accountability and moral choices under pressure — are not just TV drama. They reflect everyday workplace dynamics where poor judgement or misconduct can damage productivity, morale and reputation. Embedding integrity as a core competency in recruitment helps Irish organisations reduce risk and strengthen teams.
Interview framework: behavioural + situational + verification
Apply a three-part approach used by experienced recruiters and HR teams:
Behavioural — ask about real past actions (best predictor of future behaviour).
Situational — offer realistic scenarios similar to the dilemmas on The Traitors Ireland to see how candidates decide.
Verification — confirm with targeted references and checks.
Always use the STAR format (Situation → Task → Action → Result) to score answers consistently.
The Traitor Test — 12 interview questions that reveal character
Below are the 12 core questions. For each, you’ll see what to listen for, follow-up prompts and red-flag indicators — all framed with the themes viewers recognise from The Traitors Ireland.
Mistake & Learning (Honesty)
Question: “Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work. What happened and what did you do?”
Listen for: Admission of responsibility, steps taken to fix it, lessons learned.
Follow-up: “How did you communicate the mistake to your manager or team?”
Red flags: Blame-shifting, vague answers, no learning.Handling Pressure (Accountability)
Question: “Describe a time you were pressured to meet a target in a way that felt risky or wrong. What did you do?”
Listen for: Prioritising ethics over short-term gains, escalation actions.
Follow-up: “Who did you involve and what was the outcome?”
Red flags: Rationalising rule-bending; no escalation.Confidentiality
Question: “Give an example of when you handled sensitive information. How did you protect it?”
Listen for: Practical safeguards, respect for privacy, awareness of policies (e.g., GDPR).
Follow-up: “What would you do differently now?”
Red flags: Casual attitude to data; inability to describe safeguards.Reporting Misconduct (Courage)
Question: “Have you ever raised a concern about someone else’s conduct? What happened?”
Listen for: Use of proper channels, factual reporting, focus on resolution.
Follow-up: “How was the situation resolved and what did you learn?”
Red flags: Never raised legitimate concerns due to fear/indifference; gossip-driven reporting.Conflict & Team Loyalty
Question: “Describe a time a teammate failed to deliver. How did you respond?”
Listen for: Supportive intervention, balanced accountability, actions to get the team back on track.
Follow-up: “What measures did you put in place to prevent recurrence?”
Red flags: Public shaming; punitive approach without coaching.Transparency in Decisions
Question: “Tell us about a decision you made that wasn’t popular. How did you justify it?”
Listen for: Clear reasoning, stakeholder communication, openness to feedback.
Follow-up: “What feedback did you receive and how did you address it?”
Red flags: Secretive decision-making; dismissing stakeholders.Integrity Under Temptation (Situational)
Question: “If you discovered a colleague manipulating figures to meet a deadline, what would you do?”
Listen for: Safeguarding evidence, escalation, protecting stakeholders.
Follow-up: “How would you document and follow up on the incident?”
Red flags: Tolerance or minimisation of manipulation; collusion.Consistency of Values
Question: “What values matter most to you at work? Give an example of when you lived one of them.”
Listen for: Specific examples aligning with company values (honesty, respect, accountability).
Follow-up: “How did others react and what was the outcome?”
Red flags: Generic platitudes without evidence; inconsistent behaviour.Response to Feedback
Question: “Tell me about a time you received difficult feedback. How did you respond?”
Listen for: Reflection, concrete improvement steps, measurable outcomes.
Follow-up: “How have you adapted since?”
Red flags: Defensive or entitled reactions; lack of improvement.Managing Ambiguity
Question: “Describe a time you had incomplete information but had to act. How did you manage the risk?”
Listen for: Risk assessment, consultation, documented decision rationale.
Follow-up: “What safeguards did you put in place after the decision?”
Red flags: Rash decisions without consultation; failure to monitor outcomes.Responsibility for Others (Mentoring & Influence)
Question: “Have you ever mentored a colleague who was struggling with standards or behaviour? What did you do?”
Listen for: Coaching approach, follow-up, escalation when coaching failed.
Follow-up: “How did you measure their progress?”
Red flags: Abandonment of struggling colleague; punitive measures without development.Commitment to Policies (Compliance)
Question: “Have you ever disagreed with an internal rule? How did you handle it?”
Listen for: Respectful challenge through proper channels, constructive proposals, compliance as default.
Follow-up: “What was the outcome and what did you learn?”
Red flags: Repeated non-compliance; encouraging others to ignore rules.
Scoring guide & interview rubric
Use a 1–5 scale for each question:
1 = Evasive / Highly Concerning
3 = Adequate
5 = Exceptional (clear ownership & measurable improvements)
Weight confidentiality & integrity questions higher for sensitive roles (finance, payroll, IT). Provide a sample scorecard that tallies weighted scores into Hire / Consider / Reject recommendations.
FAQs
Q1: Are integrity interview questions legal in Ireland?
A1: Yes — when competency-based and directly linked to job requirements. Avoid questions that probe protected characteristics.
Q2: How many referees should I check?
A2: At least two (one manager, one peer). For sensitive roles, consider three and an external client referee.
Q3: Do psychometric tests measure honesty?
A3: Some validated integrity assessments offer additional insight but should supplement behavioural interviews and references.
Q4: What if a candidate fails the Traitor Test?
A4: For critical roles, reject. For marginal cases, use probation with restricted access and clear KPIs.
How Matrix Recruitment can help you spot a Traitor
Book a 30-minute Hiring Review (Consultation)
Sign up for Interviewer Training
Request a Role Risk Assessment