The employee interview is the most widely used, yet frequently undervalued, hiring tool.  Managers are always looking for the "magic bullet," when it comes to hiring.  When hiring an employee, a manager may think . . .

·         What is THE question that will tell us (with 100% accuracy) whether an applicant will succeed (or fail) on the job? 

·         What one test can we use that will tell us EVERYTHING about an applicant?

·         How can I get an applicant to really open up and to tell me the truth?

While everyone knows how to create a good interview, most people don't create one.  Everyone knows that you create good interview questions based on what it takes to succeed on the job and in the organization.  Few people, however, actually create interview questions that way.  Another key to effective interviewing is listening for the right information.  You can have the best interview questions in the world and still have a bad interview because you don't listen.  Or, more often, you're not sure what you're supposed to be listening for.

To help make your interviews even better, here are seven questions that I've found useful (and very revealing) in my assessment and interviewing work.  Here's also what you need to listen for in each question.

1.     Tell me about your favorite job up to this point?  Describe it to me so that I have a clear idea about it, what you liked most about it, what you liked least about it, and so on.

This question often provides clues about a candidate's strengths and weakness without the candidate knowing it.  People tend to like doing things they are good at.  They also tend to dislike doing things that they are not good at.  Listen carefully for information on how similar the job that the candidate describes is to the job for which you are considering him or her.

2.     Tell me about your favorite boss/supervisory up to this point?  Describe him or her to me so that I have a clear idea about him or her, what you liked most about him or her, what you liked least about him or her, and so on.

The relationship between a supervisor and an employee drives what gets done, how well it gets done, and how long an employee keeps working for a company.  The more you know about an applicant's preferences in management and leadership styles, the better.  Listen carefully for information on how similar the boss that the candidate describes is to the person that he or she will be working for.

3.     Tell me about a company that you've really enjoyed working for in the past.  Describe it to me so that I have a clear picture of what it was like to work there, what you liked most about working there, what you liked least about working there, and so on.

Just like people, companies have personalities.  Just like people, some people get along with certain companies better than others.  The more you know about an applicant's preferences in company culture and personality, the better.  Listen carefully for information on how similar the company that the candidate describes is to your company.

4.     Describe 1-2 of the most stressful situations that you faced at work?  What was it, why was it stressful to you, and how did you handle it?

All stress is not created equal.  What is stressful to one person is easy to handle to another.  Also, some people deal with stress more effectively than others.   Listen carefully to what the candidate describes as stressful and how they handle it.  Think about how similar what they describe is to the job for which you are considering them.  Also, note the effectiveness of their coping strategy.

5.     Describe 1-2 of your proudest moments and/or accomplishments at work.  What were they and why, specifically, were you so proud?

This question tells you a lot about what a candidate values and/or their level of impact on an organization.  Typically, people are proud of things that are important to them.  Listen carefully for information on what the candidate is proud of and how it affected them or others.  Think about whether the candidate will have the opportunity to achieve similar things in the job and in your organization.

6.     Describe 1-2 of your disappointing events and/or situations at work.  What were they and why, specifically, were you disappointed?

Here again, this questions tells you a lot about what a candidate values.  Unlike the preceding question, this question also tells you about a candidate's level of accountability.  Do they tend to place blame on others for the situation or do they take some ownership for the situation they are describing?  Listen carefully for information on what a candidate finds disappointing, whether they blame others, and how comfortable they are talking about negative work situations.

7.     Describe 1-2 events and/or situations that you learned something new about yourself and/or others?  What was the situation, what did you learn, and what was the outcome of the situations?

This question gives you a good idea about a candidate's level of self-awareness.  To learn and to change, people must have a high level of awareness of who they are, what they know, and what they don't know.  You may also get some information on how they handle feedback and/or criticism from others.  Listen carefully for information on how (or if) the candidate learned and how (or if) they used this information moving forward.

Interviews can be the best tool an employer has for finding the right employee.  You just need to ask the right questions and listen for the right answers. 

For more information about this article, please contact Joan Brannick, Ph.D., SPHR at 813-672-0500 or visit her website at www.brannickhr.com.