The three questions I always ask in interviews
After 1000+ interviews (yes, really), I've narrowed down the three questions that get to the core of what I look for in new hires.
A funny thing happens as you get further along in your career. You see people you used to work with who were OK at their job— go on to do something extraordinary. Sometimes it’s in a completely different field, or they start their own company, other times, it’s a similar role, at a different company, often in a different market.
When I see this, I am reminded that doing incredible work is not just a matter of skill, it is a matter of will. And will is often a function not just of the person’s innate characteristics, but the circumstances of their situation, their current life, and where the job fits into it.
So when I interview, I look for person/role fit. Do they see the job they are interviewing for as a big opportunity, a critical piece of the puzzle in creating the life they want to live?
I also look for the truth, which can be tough to find in a 30-45 minute interview.
To unpack this, here are the three questions I always ask in interviews + one bonus question.
Great. What’s another example?
I am a big fan of asking situational questions eg. “Tell me about a time you had to overcome a big obstacle and motivate your team?”
The problem with these types of questions is everyone knows you are going to ask one, and everyone can come up with at least one example. But if you are inquiring about a core competency for the role, the person you hire should have not just one example, they should have many.
So, after they answer the question with their pre-prepped answer, I simply say “Great, thanks for sharing that. What’s another example?”
Now, we get to find out two things:
How quickly do they think on their feet and how do they respond to unexpected questions? (this is a critical skill for leadership and sales positions)
Do they have a whole host of examples to answer your situational question? Is this a deeply embedded skill that they can tap into?
Once you ask for multiple examples, you can begin to get to the truth and figure out how natural of a fit they are for the role.
What led you here today?
I am looking for a story here. Momentum. Not to be dramatic but… a sense of destiny They should be in a unique situation where what they are looking for, the environment that will enable them to do their best work, truly matches what the role and company provides.
I don’t always ask this question straight up, sometimes I start by letting them walk through their career journey so they can warm up to the question.
And sometimes I like to shine a little light on what makes the role unique, what makes the opportunity exciting, so they can begin to put together the picture in their minds.
After tee’ing them up in this way, I am looking for clarity in their answer. I want them to see and feel the person/role fit.
Sometimes, if they have a clear sense of what they want, we can get there early in the conversation. Other times, I like to reconnect to this topic at the end of the call, by asking something like “Well I’ve enjoyed chatting with you today and learning about your story. But I am not clear on if this role is the right fit for what YOU are looking for. What do you think?”
It’s OK if they are not immediately 100% sold on the company and the role, but they should be excited and very intrigued by it. And once they understand the full picture, once they see the good, bad, ugly, and total opportunity— they should have clarity that this is the place they need to be.
If I was to randomly interview X people on the street, they wouldn’t want this job. Why do you?
This is another angle at determining person/role fit. For a role to be a great fit for one person, it by default must not be a great fit for most people. The candidate must understand the unique qualities (that the majority of people do not have) that make someone perfect for the company and role.
You can also look at this from a macro perspective. Many people are following career paths where they will always be average performers. To better understand this, you can ask something more macro: “On its surface, people often think they want to be in a leadership role, but in reality, most people would not thrive in an environment with the extra stress, responsibility, workload, and challenges of navigating personalities that comes with leadership. Why is it the right career for you?”
Bonus Question: What happens if you don’t get the job?
I have interviewed hundreds of people for internal promotions. I always ask this question during internal interviews for two reasons:
This often takes people back and gets them out of their fake interview personalities. You can now get a sense of how badly they want the job, how self-aware they are, or how they respond when they don’t get things that they want.
Ultimately, you don’t want to promote someone internally who is only in it to get a promotion. The goal is not to just get the job, the goal is to be great at the new job. When someone gets promoted, they rarely knock it out of the park on day one, there is always a learning curve and they have to be ready for that, they have to have self-awareness that the interview is just one step of the journey.
Asking this question will open up the door to understanding how they view themselves and that journey.
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