Latest / The Talent Trade / Talent Trade Tidbit - The WORST Interview Question...and A Runner-Up

Transcript

Talent Trade Tidbit - The WORST Interview Question...and A Runner-Up · The Talent Trade

• 0:00
  Hi, this is Stephanie Maas.
• 0:02
  Today, I want to talk to you about my absolute least favorite worst ever interview question.
• 0:09
  I am so tired of hearing that hiring managers ask this question, so I'm going to tell you it.
• 0:14
  I'm going to tell you why it doesn't work.
• 0:16
  I'll give you some better suggestions and beg you stop using this question.
• 0:22
  The question.
• 0:22
  Are you ready?
• 0:23
  You have got to stop asking, what are your strengths and what are your weaknesses?
• 0:29
  Honestly, you can go back 50 years, find the first ever book on interviewing tips.
• 0:35
  And that's the number one question people know to prepare for.
• 0:39
  It is in every other interviewing book since then.
• 0:42
  Candidates know it.
• 0:43
  They know how to expect it.
• 0:44
  They've rehearsed answering it and they're not going to give you what you really want to know.
• 0:50
  It's outdated and it's ineffective.
• 0:52
  Let's be honest.
• 0:53
  What you really want to know is, is this my next superstar?
• 0:57
  Is this next person going to be the next one on my team that's going to knock the cover off the ball?
• 1:02
  Cause if they are absolutely, what do you care what their strengths and weaknesses are?
• 1:06
  You don't, what you want to know, is this your superstar?
• 1:09
  So in order to figure that out, let me give you a couple of other better questions to ask.
• 1:15
  Here's a better question.
• 1:17
  What do you do?
• 1:19
  That separates you from your peers.
• 1:22
  You've talked to me a little bit about some of your successes.
• 1:25
  What did you do differently from the rest of the folks on your last team that made you had those successes that they did not have?
• 1:32
  That would be a great question to ask.
• 1:34
  Another form of that is, tell me about your competitive advantage.
• 1:38
  So what are you doing to differentiate yourself from your internal peers, your external competition?
• 1:45
  Walk me through that and then be able to ask or tell them, Hey, I'm a competitor.
• 1:49
  You mentioned you were successful here.
• 1:51
  Okay.
• 1:51
  Give me an example of how successful you were and where's the evidence to back that up.
• 1:56
  You tell me you're great with COIs.
• 1:58
  Great.
• 1:58
  Last year, how many new deals did you bring in?
• 2:00
  Where did they come from?
• 2:01
  How many COIs refer them to him?
• 2:03
  How many were cold calling?
• 2:04
  How many were from your current book of business?
• 2:07
  Hey, if you were to come on board, what would be your business plan in the first 90 days to make an immediate impact?
• 2:13
  Describe to me an environment in which you feel like you could really knock the cover off the ball.
• 2:18
  Do these new questions help?
• 2:20
  They certainly should.
• 2:21
  And they will get you quicker to where you need to be with that candidate to know, is this my next superstar?
• 2:27
  Okay.
• 2:28
  Now, not the worst interview question, but a close second.
• 2:34
  It's a runner up, actually not even a question.
• 2:37
  Tell me about yourself.
• 2:39
  Really?
• 2:40
  You want me to tell you about me?
• 2:41
  Um, I'm five, five.
• 2:42
  I weigh a, well, none of your business.
• 2:44
  Um, I'm married.
• 2:45
  Oh, that, that's not quite what you were looking for.
• 2:48
  Then stop asking that question.
• 2:50
  Instead, might I suggest a couple other thoughts, things that will actually get you information that you want and need to determine if this person is a good fit for your organization.
• 3:00
  Here's a couple of suggestions.
• 3:02
  Hey, tell me about your last accomplishment or an accomplishment that you have made in the last couple of years in your current role that you are really proud of.
• 3:12
  How did your current leadership team respond or recognize that accomplishment?
• 3:17
  In your next role, what are you hoping to accomplish?
• 3:20
  Why is that important to you?
• 3:22
  These are some questions that will get you probably better answers, more sincere answers and better insight to the person that's sitting in front of you.