Stop Asking These Interview Questions

Jane, an HR professional was preparing for an interview. She had not attended one in the past 5 years and she was used to being on the other side of the table interviewing candidates. When she went for the interview, she left the room a bit confused. She did not feel that the interviewers asked her any questions that helped her parade her skills and competence.

‘’What I found to be interesting was, they asked me what I felt were very generic questions such as ‘’ What are your strengths and weaknesses? ‘’Where do you see yourself in 5 years?’’ ‘’What are your salary expectations?’’ This is when I realized that over the last years that we keep asking very common questions yet hiring the right people is all about asking the right questions.’’

I did agree with Jane and here are reasons why this should change.

1. They Make Candidates Lie

For instance, when you ask a candidate what their biggest weaknesses are, it is difficult for them to tell the truth as sometimes the truth may disqualify them from the job. Some questions may not give you the real answer such as ‘’Why do you want this job?’’  The candidate may be needing the job because they want the money or they do not have a job at the moment but it is something they would not openly say.

2. Candidates Come with Prepared Responses

Applicants prepare for interviews and this includes getting well versed with the responses to the most common interview questions which we can easily find on the internet. As a result, what we get are not honest answers and do not give us an honest view of the candidate.

3. They Do Not Bring Out the Best Talent

When candidates are forced to lie or come prepared for the responses, these questions don’t help you identify their critical skills or even tell you how capable and talented the candidate is.

Instead, consider;

1. Testing their Behavior and Competence

This helps you know how the interviewee has previously performed in certain situations. It gives you an idea of how the they would behave if they would join your organization.

It also helps you have an idea of how competent they are regarding their skills. This can be asking how they handled a situation in the past.

The question could look like ‘’ Describe a time when you were faced with a situation that demonstrated your problem-solving skills’’ or ‘’Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to achieve it’’

If the candidate does not provide the details, you are looking for, you can ask a follow-up question asking what exactly they did or the role they played or the challenges they encountered.

2. Understanding How They Would Approach a Situation

This helps you give the candidate a case study that focuses on their past experiences, knowledge, skills, and abilities by asking them to give you examples of how they would respond to a given situation.

The questions help you know how an interviewee thinks and how they would react in a situation. This could look like ‘’ You are applying for a customer service position in a manufacturing company. If a client calls and raises a complaint in regards to the quality of the table set they bought, how would you respond?’’

This can help you know if the candidate would be a fit by how they handle situations.

3. Prepare Yourself For The Interview

With the above reasons, it is also important for you to be prepared from how you present yourself to the kind of questions you ask.

It is crucial to identify what the success of every job looks like before every interview. Having clear job descriptions can help you prioritize the important qualities your preferred candidate should possess.

You can make a list of qualities, skills and experience to look out for when screening CVs and interviewing candidates. You can also identify the questions that will help you determine whether an applicant possesses the qualities you are looking for.

Also, consider framing the questions in an open-ended manner to encourage candidates to provide more detailed answers. It helps you pick up on the different applicant’s ability to explain their work experience, their communication skills and even their problem-solving ability.

Conclusion

Generic questions may help you pick up a few things but it is important to mix them with other questions. Approach the interview considering your needs by being unique and innovative with what you ask and you’ll get better responses that will help you find what you are looking for.

Watch this video for more information Stop Asking These Interview Questions