If you have over quoted luck when it comes to your best and worst hires, this article is for you. Hiring shouldn’t be a game of chance. Every employee you bring on is an investment in your company, from your most junior to senior hires. While some talented individuals give a great interview, turning on the charm only to disappoint once employed, great candidates can also be so nervous they stumble on their words and all to often the interview will be cut short before they have a chance to shine.
How do we get beyond this? How can we go beyond the surface of the Q+A period of the interview to really find out the best (or worst) qualities of our candidates. First, we need to get beyond the scripted answers so we can have more genuine and insightful conversations. The candidate needs to let their guard down, answer questions freely and truthfully, over a scripted response they have practiced over and over.
In preparing your Interview questions, here are a few things to consider:
1. The Types of Questions to Ask:
- Questions should be open-ended to encourage a detailed response.
- “Can you tell me more about…?”
- “What do you think about…?”
- Prepare follow up questions, show you are listening and interested in the details.
- “Why do you feel that way?
- “Can you give me an example?”
- Use reflective questions, encouraging the candidate to think about their experiences or feelings.
- “How did that experience impact you?”
- “What did you learn from that situation?”
2. Prepare Strategies to Encourage Genuine Responses
- Build Rapport by creating a comfortable environment where the candidate feels safe to share.
- Share something about yourself to create a sense of mutual exchange.
- Use a warm, friendly tone.
- Avoid Leading Questions that might influence their answers with your own opinions.
- Instead of “Don’t you think that’s a bad idea?” ask “What are your thoughts on that idea?”
- Be Patient, give them time to think and respond.
- Avoid interrupting..Silence can be powerful; it gives them space to elaborate.
3. Example Questions and Follow-Ups
- Career Aspirations: “What inspired you to pursue your current career path?”
- Follow-Up: “Were there any significant turning points that influenced your decision?”
- Challenges and Overcoming Them: “Can you describe a major challenge you faced and how you dealt with it?”
- Follow-Up: “What did you learn from that experience?”
- Personal Growth: “What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned in your life?”
- Follow-Up: “How have these lessons shaped who you are today?”
In addition to this line of questions, it’s important that questions are asked that surround your company values, and are specific to the job you are hiring for. When you ask open-ended, thought-provoking questions and use strategies that encourage deeper engagement, you can get beyond the “first impression” and really learn more about the specific person you are interviewing. Preparing for each interview will ensure this next company investment is not based on chance, but rather strategic thinking and process driven, setting you up for success.
Hire Ground Talent is a boutique recruitment agency specializing in executive search and leadership roles. From C-suite and other corporate roles covering all departments to onsite managers – HGT has successfully placed top talent. To fully support talent management, HGT formed a Collective which includes onboarding, employee engagement, learning and development, retention, demographic tends in the workplace and talent optimization.