Issue 95 - 5 Most Important Interview Questions
A few short weeks ago, I was contracted to be featured in video programs in which I share my perspective on the proper techniques for “Employee Interviewing, Selection and Retention.” This practical, hands-on information was learned during the early part of my corporate career while functioning as a corporate recruiter, conducting more than 1,300 employment interviewers in less than 8 years. (The video program, along with its sister project focused on “Proper Techniques for Effective Employee Evaluation and Appraisal” is currently in development and both will be released as on-line web-based training tools later this year.)
In reviewing that information, I realized there are many practical and helpful ideas that can be utilized by leaders to improve interviewing, selection and evaluation techniques that I have never shared with my readers. Whether you are an interviewer or planning to be interviewed at some point in the future, you might have need of what I consider 5 of the most important interview questions that can be asked.
The 5 Most Important Interview Questions
There are dozens of questions that might appropriately be asked during the course of an employment interview. Obviously, some are more valuable than others. The greatest value lies in those questions which are ultimately successful in “unearthing” information from the candidate the interviewer can then use to make a well-informed decision as to the viability of the candidate being considered. Following are 5 of the most valuable questions than can be asked and are offered in no particular order of importance.
Q1: How would you describe the perfect supervisor?
This question should be asked before any description of the potential supervisor to whom the new employee might report is offered. It is asked for the purpose of identifying any avoidable issues or personality conflicts that otherwise might occur without prior warning or notice.
Q2: What is the greatest obstacle you have overcome?
This question allows the interviewer the chance to learn more about the candidate’s past history as it relates to professional difficulties faced, the methods and techniques utilized to address such obstacles and the resiliency of the individual regarding the experience of having faced and overcome such obstacles.
Q3: What is your most significant personal or professional accomplishment?
The answer to this question gives indication as to the magnitude of the challenges the candidate has faced in the past and the personal value assigned to those successes the candidate has realized. Remember, the best indicator of future performance and success is past performance and success. Therefore, the level of success the person has experienced in the past will probably be repeated. Conversely, the lack of past success or the minimal scope of such accomplishments will also probably be repeated.
Q4: What makes you think this job is for you?
The answer to this question should offer specific indication as to whether the person wants this job, or if they are simply looking for any job.
Q5: Why should we hire you?
This question allows the candidate the opportunity to “sell” themselves to you as a truly worthwhile employee-to-be. If the candidate is obviously unsure of why you should hire him or her over other candidates, maybe you shouldn’t!
Conclusion and Invitation
I realize many of my readers are experienced interviewers in their own right. If any of you feel I have omitted other critical interview questions that might be used with great effect to draw out important information during the interview process, please share them with me by way of an email (phil@vanhooser.com) and I will be happy to share them with my readers in a future of issue of Tips for Transformational Impact.
