We do not ask tough questions for the sake of asking tough questions. Trying to “stump a candidate” is amateur hour . Our focus is about determining a candidate’s past job performance with – the philosophy of : “past performance is the best indicator of future performance”. Over the years I have seen some specific questions be very helpful in learning more about a candidate, which is what an interviewing is about.
Tough questions can give an added dimension to your interviewing and give a candidate an opportunity to hit a home run or strike out. But you are putting them up to bat and allowing them to swing .
Depending on the position and its needs, here are some very good questions that may help you learn more about your candidate’s career focus . Next article will cover questions to help determine a candidate’s determination and creative thinking .
How Career Focused
- I read about an executive who would say “1st you make your habits, then your habits make you” . Tell me about some success habits you have formed . (Such as reading a book per month about your field, or reflecting back each night on your day and see what you learned from that day).
- Good decision making is very important to this position. Tell me your strategy when making an important decision. (Such as separating Major Factors, Minor Factors, Unimportant Factors to bring clarity when making a decision).
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- What are you doing – outside of your work place – to get there? (Online classes, reading books to become better at their work, Toastmasters, etc.)
- Is that enough?
- What industry related periodicals do you personally subscribe to?
Creative Thinking
- If you could change anything about your current position to significantly improve it, what would that be? (look for depth here)
- No one is perfect, what do you have to change about yourself to reach your goals ?
- What will I not like about you during your 1st 6 months here?
- No job is perfect, what part of this job do you think you will like the least?
- If you were brought into the board room to meet the Board of Directors and asked to give a 3 minute impromptu due speech, what are you qualified to talk about ? What are several points you would cover?
- What should we expect you to accomplish your first 90 days here?
Determination
- We all run into obstacles. Obstacles re-route a lot of people who lack determination. Tell me about obstacles you had to overcome in your career .
- If I said “you may not be ready for this job” Help me understand why I would be wrong.
- If I asked you if you would work for less money here than in current (or other ) position, what would you tell me and why?
- Tell me about the biggest mistake you made in your career and how you prospered from it.
- What do you do – beyond what the company requires you to do – to further your skills / abilities / knowledge?
- The best indicator of future performance is often past performance. If I said your work performance / career success doesn’t seem to match the talent and ability you talked about in this interview, what could you tell me to help me understand that?
- Tell me about the last time your manager criticized your work.
- No one is perfect, tell me about your weaknesses and what coping strategies do you have to overcome them.
Donald Jasensky
CEO / Automotive Personnel, LLC
216-226-8190
www.automotivepersonnel.co
Twitter : @DonJasensky
“We Find The People Who Drive The Automotive Industry”