Latest / Hiring & Firing with Fexingo: Recruitment, Performance, and Workforce Decisions / The Best Interview Question Nobody Asks
Transcript
- Lucas: There's an interview question that I think is better than almost anything you'll find in the standard playbook. It's not about past accomplishments or hypothetical scenarios. It's just four words: 'What did you change your mind about recently?' Luna: That sounds almost too simple. But I can already see why it's powerful—it forces someone to show their thinking, not just recount their resume. Lucas: Exactly. Most people walk into an interview ready to defend every opinion they've ever had. They're in sales mode. But this question disrupts that. It asks for intellectual humility, which is one of the hardest things to fake. Luna: And if they can't think of anything? That's a signal in itself. Lucas: That's the beauty of it. A candidate who says 'I don't know, I haven't changed my mind about anything major'—that tells you they might not be open to new evidence. In a fast-moving business environment, that's a red flag. Luna: But what does a good answer look like? Give me an example. Lucas: I once interviewed someone for a product role. She said she used to believe that user feedback should always be acted on immediately. But after a project where she implemented every feature request and ended up with a bloated product, she changed her mind. Now she believes in gathering feedback but filtering it through strategic priorities. Luna: That's concrete. She showed a specific event, a reflection, and a new framework. That tells me she can learn from experience. Lucas: Right. And contrast that with a candidate who says 'I changed my mind about the importance of work-life balance'—that's too vague. You want specifics: what was the old belief, what evidence contradicted it, and what's the new belief? Luna: So you're really testing for what psychologists call 'intellectual humility'—the willingness to admit you could be wrong. Lucas: Exactly. And there's data backing this up. A 2024 study from a mid-size SaaS company tracked 500 hires over a year. They found that candidates who gave a detailed, specific answer to this question were 68 percent less likely to leave within the first twelve months. That's a massive signal. Luna: Why do you think that is? Is it because those people are more adaptable in the role? Lucas: That's part of it. But I think it also correlates with a growth mindset and the ability to handle feedback. If you can publicly admit you were wrong, you're less likely to get defensive when your manager gives you constructive criticism. Luna: It also screens for people who are reflective. Someone who thinks about their own thinking is usually more intentional about their work. Lucas: Now, the question isn't perfect. I've seen candidates who gave a polished answer that sounded rehearsed. For example, 'I used to think agile was the only way, but now I see value in waterfall.' That might be a real change, or it might be something they read in a blog post that morning. Luna: So how do you probe further? Lucas: I follow up with 'What specifically caused you to change? Can you walk me through the moment or the data point that tipped you?' That usually separates the genuine from the scripted. Luna: I've used a version of this question in my own hiring. One candidate told me he changed his mind about remote work after managing a distributed team. He initially thought it was less productive, but after seeing the output and the team's satisfaction, he became a proponent. That story told me he was evidence-driven. Lucas: That's a great example. And notice he didn't say 'I was wrong.' He just described a shift in perspective. That's less defensive and more honest. Luna: So this question is essentially a proxy for learning agility. Which we know is one of the best predictors of long-term performance. Lucas: Exactly. And it's even more valuable in roles where the landscape changes quickly—tech, marketing, strategy. Someone who can revise their mental model is going to outperform someone who sticks to what they 'know.' Luna: But what about roles where consistency is valued more, like compliance or auditing? Is this question still useful? Lucas: I think it is, but you'd weigh it differently. For a compliance officer, you might want someone who holds firm on principles but can update their approach to regulation. The question then becomes about method, not ethics. Luna: That makes sense. So the question is versatile, but you have to interpret it in context. Lucas: Right. And one more thing—I've had candidates who couldn't think of anything on the spot, but then emailed me later with a thoughtful answer. I took that as a positive signal too. It showed they cared enough to reflect after the interview. Luna: That's a good point. The question can also reveal how someone handles pressure. If they freeze, that might be a red flag for a high-stress role. Lucas: Yeah. But I'd rather have a candidate who freezes and then recovers than one who gives a glib answer without substance. Luna: So what's the one thing you'd tell a hiring manager who wants to try this tomorrow? Lucas: Add it to your standard interview template. Ask it early, after the icebreaker but before the behavioral questions. And listen for the structure: old belief, evidence, new belief. If you hear that arc, you've got a strong candidate. Luna: And if you don't? It's not a dealbreaker on its own, but it's worth exploring more. Lucas: Exactly. No single question should decide a hire. But this one gives you a window into how someone thinks—and that's harder to assess than their resume. Luna: Speaking of thinking—we've been doing this show for nearly a hundred episodes now, and I've changed my mind about a lot of things in hiring because of conversations like this. Lucas: Same here. And honestly, the fact that we can keep having these conversations without any ads or sponsors is something I'm grateful for. A small group of listeners chips in monthly through Buy Me a Coffee at fexingo dot com slash fexingo, and that support is what keeps the show independent. Luna: It really does. And it's not about perks or rewards—it's just about keeping the content free and focused on what matters. So if these episodes have helped you think differently about hiring, consider joining that group. Lucas: But back to the question—one thing I haven't mentioned is that this question works both ways. We should ask it of ourselves, too. As hiring managers, what have we changed our mind about recently? Luna: That's a good challenge. For me, I've changed my mind about the value of unstructured interviews. I used to think they gave you more authentic signals, but the data convinced me that structured interviews are fairer and more predictive. Lucas: I changed my mind about reference checks. I used to treat them as a formality, but after a few bad hires where I skipped deep reference calls, I now see them as one of the best sources of information—if you ask the right questions. Luna: So maybe the best use of this question isn't just for candidates—it's for us to model the behavior we want to see. Lucas: Exactly. When a candidate sees you admit a change of mind, it creates psychological safety. They feel they can be honest, too. And that's the kind of interview that reveals the real person. Luna: Alright, I'm sold. I'm adding this to my next interview guide. And I'll be curious to see what answers we get. Lucas: Let us know what you hear. That's the kind of feedback that might change our mind about the question itself.