3 Interview Questions
"A lot of times the interview relies not so much on the interviewee, but on the interviewer." Ernie Johnson Jr
It's that time of year - students graduating, entering the workforce, and interviewing for jobs. I've had my own experience with hiring as I added a new position to my small business. It was an interesting experience - probably blog worthy in and of itself. I'll just say that I witnessed both the good and the bad - no-shows, the ball cap with sunglasses perched on top, the interviewee confessing they were just looking for a paycheck, to those who arrived presentable and prepared. I'm happy to say I found a man of character and talent for the position. After my interview I asked him to return and be interviewed by my teammates. I wanted them to have a say as they would work with him day in and day out.
In my leadership practice, after helping an organization form its vision, culture, and values, I've helped them find people (interview) to best fit it. In my preparation for these interviews I crafted a list of questions to help me (and others) decide who was the best candidate. Here are three.
1. "Why this company? You have a resume rich with experiences and skills - why us?"
This will help tease out the motivation to interview. Your company may be one of a long list of companies the interviewee chose. Look at it in the reverse. Your company made the cut. They chose you. Why is that? This question could also determine if they are just paycheck hunting. If you discover that through their answer - turn off! They are just hunting a paycheck and may not be interested in taking your team to new heights.
2. "Sometimes the 'rules' stand in the way of getting things done. When is it ok to break the rules and how would you approach that?"
This is the ethical dilemma question. It helps you determine how a potential employee would deal with such a dilemma. Trust is essential and you'll want to get a feel for a person's character and trustworthiness. Be prepared to offer a scenario. You might even give them the question ahead of time so they have time to think it over.
3. "Let's imagine you've been selected for this position and it is a year later. We are gathered here reflecting on what we have accomplished together. What would you want to say?"
This question helps determine the vision of the interviewee. Have they thought about their future with the company? How would they generically describe success? Have them imagine a future then describe it. "Accomplished together," can help you determine whether they are in it for themselves or if they truly want to be a member of a team.
These questions, while helpful, are not a panacea. You will certainly need to balance your feelings with facts. Does the interviewee possess the character, intelligence, skills, and experience for the position? It will be hard to determine this with total assurance in a 1-hour interview. Invest some time getting to know the individual. Involve others on the team. Use these and other thoughtful questions to help you pick the right teammate. Holler if I can help. Good luck!
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell