After many years in the talent/recruitment space, I have interviewed hundreds of candidates and would admit to asking many of the “common interview questions.” Although the intention is to ask them to make a decision about their suitability for a role, many of these questions are listed on the internet and therefore their answers to these questions are endlessly rehearsed by candidates.
By asking the question in a different way you may get the insight needed to make a good hiring decision. So, what are the most common interview questions?
“What is your biggest weakness?”
What you should ask instead: What skill do you feel like you’re still missing?
You want to find someone who embraces continuous learning, who is innately curious, and who is self-aware enough to understand that there are still valuable things she doesn’t know how to do.
“Tell me a little about yourself.”
What you should ask instead: Which values of your current or previous employer most align with your own values?
This is a much better way to find out more about the person you are speaking with. Look for candidates who are excited about their values and love to go deep on them. Watch out for people who struggle to identify their own values let alone those of their company.
“Why should I hire you?”
What you should ask instead: Tell me something about your experience, education, or personality that can help us.
This gives candidates a non-hypothetical question that allows them to show their understanding of what your role is and to demonstrate their relevant background or experience.
“Where do you see yourself in five years?”
What you should ask instead: What business would you love to start?
“What would your last boss say about you?”
What you should ask instead: What was the best working relationship you’ve had with a manager and why did it work so well?
A thoughtful answer to this question could reveal a lot about a candidate’s values and what kind of company culture she would thrive in. And, if you were to hire the candidate, it would give you a leg up on successfully managing her.
“What would you bring to our department?”
What you should ask instead: What was the biggest achievement you had at your last job and what was your role in it?
Now you can see what your candidates value and how willing they are to share credit. Listen to hear if they mention how their accomplishment helped the company—or is it all about them?
LinkedIn’s Global Recruiting Trends 2018 says the embrace of new interviewing tools—online assessments of soft skills, job auditions, and meetings in casual settings—is one of the trends driving today’s talent acquisition.
