Jump Back
Everyone has had that moment. A new hire is not working out as planned, and you start to recall the interview process.
You’re sure you did a good job in assessing them, didn’t you? You’re sure you ticked all the boxes, asked all the right questions?
The harsh truth is most organisations and interviewers don’t go deep enough in interviews.
It’s understandable. You’ve got a challenging role to fill; you meet a candidate who meets most of the criteria. You feel, at face value, would be a fit.
More than anything, you need to fill the role, so you hire them. And let’s face it, it’s difficult to find people with the right ‘skills’. When you find one, the temptation is to grab them with both hands and ask when they can start.
So, what can you do better?
Develop an interview framework that will help you discover what you need to know. It’s about digging deeper – way beyond skills, academics and job titles to really establish how, in simple terms, this person will perform in conducting the work you need them to do.
To help, we’ve listed several ‘eye-opener’ questions below. Ones that usually catch people off guard. Or at least, if not off guard, it will require them to be more reflective and give you something less scripted than many of the typical interview questions.
What would your boss say about you if I met them for a coffee?
There are two reasons why you want to ask this question. Number one, you require them to give an authentic response, as by the way the question is asked, there is a possibility you might do precisely this when taking references – so this should remove the rose tint. If they can’t answer convincingly or with enough positives, you may have a problem.
Secondly, it’s a good way of testing self-awareness. People who falter with this question typically haven’t given much thought to how other people see them – which, if you are interviewing for a leader or potential leader, should be a red flag.
If they answer clearly, there’s probably a good chance they have high levels of self-awareness and, in turn, high emotional quotient (EQ).
What element of your job do you dislike the most?
Many positively phrased questions, like ‘Why do you like accounting?’ usually elicit scripted responses. Questions requiring interviewees to discuss frustrations or dislikes usually promote more genuine answers. By exploring areas of the job they don’t enjoy, you will better understand whether they are a fit. The important part is to ensure you’re being honest with yourself here as there’s no point in thinking you can mould the job to suit the individual. If you get a sense they won’t enjoy a core aspect of the role or even a relatively significant part; they’re not the right hire. No matter how much you like them.
What would you do in [blank] situation?
Obviously, you need to give them a situation, but this is probably the most effective way to actually test someone’s thought process without a more detailed psychometric testing or case study exercise. Walk them through a tricky business issue and ask them to talk you through what they would do to fix or address it in stages. You’ll be able to see the cogs ticking in real-time, and unless they have encountered this exact situation, a scripted answer won’t help them. Once you’ve allowed them to put their thinking forward, ask them to reflect on why they decided on that course of action.
Don’t be tempted to feel that you are labouring a point—gaining insight into past behavioural patterns and thought processes will provide you with a deep understanding of an individual’s performance capability.
Above all, keep it focused. Don’t be tempted to use stock standard interview questions that googled at the last minute. Taking ownership of your interviewing strategy will reap rewards in future years, not to mention time in the short run.