Questions That Reveal More Than A CV
One of the standard practices of managers when conducting job interviews is to ask hypothetical questions- the type that start with “What would you do if…?” On the surface, this approach seems sound, but it has one flaw: interviewees can fake their way through these questions.
An issue of fit, be it working culture, job scope and competencies will eventually emerge. Soon enough, the manager has to perform the unpleasant task of sending the unfit employee off on a new job search.
One proven way to keep this from happening to you is to ask what are known as behavioural questions. As opposed to hypothetical questions, behavioural questions are designed to make candidates give experience-based responses that draw a clearer picture of their work ethic, working style and approach in dealing with responsibilities that come with the job.
Based on the candidate’s answers, you can tell if he or she has a good work ethic and the right attitude for the job. These are traits that don’t show up in the resume but are even more important than all the information it contains.
Below are five very effective behavioural questions you may find useful when you conduct your next interview.
Describe a major conflict you experienced with someone within an organization.
In any mix of personalities there’s bound to be conflict. Even short-term contractuals and those in part-time jobs experience this. By asking this question, you want to know how the candidate dealt with a personality clash. How well did he manage it? Did it affect his job performance? Did he help resolve the conflict? From his answers, you can assess his interpersonal skills.
Describe a challenging team project you worked on.
Being part of a team means taking on challenges together. Through this question, you want to know if the candidate displayed good teamwork, shared the burden, and maintained his or her energy. This will give you an idea of how well this candidate will work with your existing team.
What’s the most challengin problem you’ve ever had to solve?
Your purpose in asking this question is to assess the candidate’s problem-solving skills. Note that he or she has to describe the problem in specific terms, and how solving it went about. This answer will give you a clear idea of how well the pressure will be handled in challenging situations.
Do you prefer to work solo, or with others?
Whether your company places a premium on coordination and teamwork or on each individual working on his or herown, this question will let you know if the candidate will be a good fit.
Describe a time when you took on a leadership role.
This question is ideal for interviewees for a more senior position. How big and critical was this leadership role he or she took on? His or her answer will serve as a measure of leadership acumen.
Remember that the principle behind behavioural questions is that by looking at a candidate’s experiences, you can more or less have an idea of what to expect to come. Keep these questions in mind next time you conduct a job interview, and you’ll see the difference in the results. You may even want to think up your own behavioural questions. Just be sure that these require the interviewee to narrate a past experience. You may be surprised at how drastically you’ll reduce the rate of hiring errors.