One of the downsides of job interviews is that candidates are so keen on avoiding mistakes that they tend to give over-rehearsed answers. These five ideas will help you navigate this common pitfall of the recruiting process.
1) When was the last time you had a disagreement with someone?
This question helps you get a sense of the candidate’s communication style as well as their ability to deal with conflict, two key attributes in the workplace. Note that asking for their most recent experience with disagreement is a good way to ensure you get a detailed story instead of a boilerplate answer.
2) Do You Consider Yourself a Curious Person?
Curiosity is an important component of problem-solving, an ability that comes in handy in any environment. Additionally, research shows that greater curiosity is linked to an improved ability to learn and memorize information, even in the case of topics that don’t arouse our curiosity.
3) How do you deal with failure?
We all deal with failure in some way, but candidates are understandably hesitant to use that label when referring to their own experiences. By posing the question this way, you frame failure as a common occurrence and make it easier for candidates to provide a detailed explanation, which in turn will open a window into the way they deal with setbacks and frustration.
4) What makes you unique?
Any kind of positive personal change begins with self-awareness. The aim of this question is to help you understand the level of self-awareness of the candidates you interview, that is, how well they understand their own character and feelings. This is an important factor because, generally speaking, a self-aware person tends to display better decision-making abilities and greater empathy than those who are not particularly self-aware.
5) What Do You Think Is the Most Exciting Trend in Your Industry Right Now?
Finally, this question will help you gauge how passionate your prospective employees are about your industry. To be sure, curiosity, self-awareness, and conflict resolution skills are all essential attributes. But the motivation to excel in one’s field is the thread that ties it all together.
More Recruiting Tips
These are some previous posts you may read to get more tips about how to successfully recruit outstanding candidates.
- 3 Resume red flags all hiring managers should keep in mind
- 4 Ideas to make the most of virtual recruitment
- How should coronavirus impact performance reviews
- Use these strategies to keep remote workers engaged
- 4 Benefits of Background Screening
- The basic do’s and don’ts of background screening
At Plexus Global we ensure global candidate screening through tailored solutions and the most reliable technology.
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