We believe that one of the most difficult, yet most important elements of any business is the hiring process. You need to be very good at hearing what isn’t being said, as Peter Drucker says. The message is simple … some people are better than other people. More importantly, some people are a heck of a lot better than other people. So it is crucial you know the most effective interview questions to uncover the candidate qualities you are most looking for.
Check out our thoughts on team leverage.
The most important thing in communications is to hear what isn’t being said.
Peter Drucker
Can you remember the most unusual interview question you ever received? We would love to hear it. Please share in the comments section below.
During the hiring process, you really must take into consideration many candidate behaviors, attitudes, and strengths. Even the person who is talented, sometimes they don’t have the right personality and team chemistry to add to your team. So you need to discover those also.
Each year, Google gets over 2.5 million applicants. That’s equal to 6,849 per day and about 5 per minute – and Google reviews each one. Don Dodge, a current Google employee shows how thorough Google is with each applicant. What’s not important is the logistics of each hire, but why they hire this way and what we can learn from it. Because it’s the people that make Google what they are today.
When you get interviewed at Google, you’ll receive questions like:
“How many golf balls can fit in a school bus?”
“There are 8 balls. Seven of them weigh the same, but one is heavier. Using a balance scale, how do you find the heavier ball with just two weighings?”
“You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and your mass is proportionally reduced so as to maintain your original density. You are then thrown into an empty glass blender. The blades will start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do?”
Google says the answer isn’t as important as your thought process and how you think under pressure. The worst possible answer would be a non-answer. Quickly saying “I don’t know” won’t get you a job at Google.
These interview questions may seem unnecessary to some, but they are one method Google uses to filter and find the smartest, most thoughtful candidates. If you want to run an extraordinary company, you need to hire extraordinary people. And to do that, you need to be very good at hiring and firing.
Here is an excellent short video on recruiting tips.
In any job interview, it can be hard to get past stock responses and gain real insight into a candidate. But if you think of oddball queries you can find opportunities to demonstrate their thought process, to communicate their values and character, and to show the prospective employer how they perform under pressure. Often the best questions are those that ask how they behaved in the past because past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.
Related post: Leadership Characteristics that Improve Influence
We will use the following 10 behaviors, attitudes and strengths that we are looking to hire in our client businesses and show you what interview questions work best in our experience to uncover these qualities.
Interview questions … the best lead-in questions
Can you tell me about yourself?
This is always a good introductory question. Ask and then don’t say another thing until they are done. What they actually say is not critical, but how they answer this question is.
Do they focus on personal or professional details? How do they see themselves? Does this view fit into the culture of the company?
What circumstance brings you here today?
This is one of the best opening interview questions ever in our opinion. This open-ended question surprises many candidates. If they do not respond quickly, just sit quietly and wait for the response.
Some candidates reveal problems with their current employer, potential insubordination, and both positive or negative character traits.
Why do you want to work for our company/organization?
Not having an answer is a good way to cross off the candidate, and is a common pet peeve of interviewers.
Judgment
How Would You Solve. . .
Test them. In a professional setting, these are typically hypothetical judgment situations or ones that have actually occurred at the company. They should demonstrate job-specific problem-solving skills.
Don’t be afraid to ask them to solve problems they would face in the first month of their job at the actual interview.
Interview questions for employers … different
What unique experience or qualifications separate you from other candidates?
Some candidates have interesting characteristics and experiences that will not be exposed without asking a question like this.
Team oriented
How would a previous job team member describe you?
In most cases, the response to this question indicates how the candidate wants you to feel they are perceived by team members and friends. Take notes on the response and then ask, “May I call your best friend and see how they describe you?”
You may or may not be interested in talking to them. However, the response and body language after the follow-up question can indicate if you received a truthful response. Asking this question near the beginning of the interview helps you get truthful responses for the rest of your time with the candidate.
Results focused
Tell me about your crowning achievement.
That question not only tells you what energizes the applicant but also helps you figure out if their interests and passions align with yours.
Change agent
What was a major obstacle you were able to overcome in the past year?
Problem-solving is the major topic covered by this question. What kind of thinker is this candidate? What do they tell you about change?
Can they do projects on their own or does their manager need to hold their hand? It also confirms how determined they can be toward a project.
Creative spirit
Describe yourself in one word?
The best candidates are the ones who know exactly who they are. That’s why it’s good to ask candidates to describe themselves in just one word.
Don’t judge people on the word they choose, but consider the insight the answer gives into their creative spirit. Pay attention to whether the candidates ponder the question to answer most thoughtfully.
Not afraid to fail
Tell me about your failures.
A good answer to this question is important because it means that the candidate isn’t afraid of taking risks and will admit when things don’t work out.
People always like to tell you about their successes, but they don’t always want to tell you what didn’t work out well.
Take initiative
How will you contribute to the company?
This will highlight their goals for the specific job and which of their skills would be most beneficial for the company. It also will tell you how they see themselves as part of a team. It will also give you insights into their ability to take initiatives.
Remember, their goals should match the company. When they deviate, employees leave.
Effective interview questions … passionate
What is your ideal job?