
We have been talking about interviewing. Last week we discussed who should interview, so let’s focus on what to ask this week.
So many people are afraid to ask what they really want to know. If the person needs to be a team player – ask them to give you an example of how they do that. Explore why they think that is team playing.
If you need someone detail oriented, ask them to provide you a presentation or write up of how they prepare breakfast. If they say “place cereal into a bowl and add milk” this is not a detailed person. If they say “enter the kitchen, go to the cabinet and select the white bowls used for cereal, put out a placemat that contains spoon, fork, knife, and white paper napkins from the right drawer by the sink…” you get the point – THAT is a detailed person!
Do not be afraid to ask them to role play with you. If you need them to be customer serving, role play an irate client who is calling on the phone – how do they react? If you need them to sell for you, make them sell you a pen.
There are million ways to find out if a potential candidate is going to work for you – but you need to prepare and be creative about what you (and others in your organization) will ask.