When it involves interviewing potential employees, you need to ask the loaded questions. That’s because employing the right people is central to the carrying on growth and success of your business. Which means you need to use your interview smartly – to recognize job skills, target personal weaknesses and talents, and get a feel for someone’s sense of teamwork and co-operation. But that doesn’t mean you have to wallow in a snooze-inducing “Do you work very well with others?” spiel. You can interview like an expert – and get information you require, and “undercover” feedback that performs an integral role in hiring decisions.
Give some thought to the next six interview questions, all of which reveal more about the interviewee than you might think – or, for example, more than they may want one to know. 1. If you stayed with your present company, what would be your next move? This is a great opener that elicits information on several levels. 2. Why are you standing out from others?
- What is your biggest challenge
- New Product Pricing
- How industry might better protect its intellectual property
- Oracle’s Business Metadata Manager
- Roaming plan
- No dependence on any skilled support staff
- BA 211
Another provocative query, great partly because most people get a little uncomfortable enhancing themselves. Dealing with that question in a reasoned manner may indicate someone with adequate self-esteem plus some courage. In comparison, a tepid self-description can suggest too little gumption, something that’s a handicap if you’re looking to fill a challenging sales position. From the same token, a job candidate who launches into a half-hour filibuster of why the Earth and several major planets revolve at his command may have an ego surplus, one that could devastate a business built around close teamwork.
3. Tell me about your greatest accomplishment. 2, an applicant who can recall a particularly satisfying project – and talk about it in a balanced, comprehensive fashion – signifies an employee that has a knack for hanging onto important details. However, the question can also hint at a job candidate who’s proficient at thinking on her behalf foot – again, most of us feel strange talking about ourselves. If someone can piece a provocative anecdote on the fly collectively, they likely will be mentally nimble on demand.
4. Give me a good example of a period when you distributed a co-worker’s achievement with others. On the surface, you may be seeking to gauge how selfless an interviewee might be, how readily he’ll put others ahead of himself. True enough, but the answer may also show if your potential employee is a strong motivator. Anyone who makes a point to boost an employee may also be seeking to pump other employees along the way. That is clearly a skill that’s particularly helpful for sales and marketing positions. 5. How many hours a week do you need to work to really get your job done?
This question serves as a barometer of the applicant’s work ethic and the hours he expects to put in with your business. Follow-up questions can identify whether someone who stays is putting in extra time or simply working inefficiently late. A discussion about work hours can also be a telling indicator of how he could ultimately participate in other employees.