Do you remember the questions game, in which the contestant had named an object in mind, and the others was challenged to learn it in a certain number of questions. If they could, they won. If not, the contestant walked away with the prize.
We're still playing a version of that game today every time we interview a candidate for a job. A win for your company is substantial -- a productive employee who will be with the organization for many years.
During the interview there are hundreds of questions that could be asked, but if we were limited to 20, which would elicit the responses most predictive of future job success?
We're not talking about routine stuff like "where did you work?" or "what did you do on your last job?" We're talking about more probing questions that reveal the person sitting behind the smile and the handshake.
Here are the 20 questions we have chosen, and the areas they explore:
Education:
1) What aspects of your training and education have most helped you on the job?
2) What skills or knowledge did you earned after you finish education?
Work background/preferences:
3) What about your last job prepared you for this job?
4) What did you like most and least about your previous jobs?
5) What would your previous supervisor say if we asked him or her about what you are like as an employee?
6) What are your two greatest accomplishments on your previous jobs?
7) What are your two greatest disappointments on your previous jobs?
8) If you could design the ideal job for you, what would it be like?
9) Tell me what you know about our company and its competitors.
Workplace interaction
10) How do you resolve personal confrontations?
11) What have you done when you've received instructions with which you've disagreed?
12) What constructive criticism have you received, and what did you do about it?
13) Tell me about your experiences working on a team.
Leadership potential
14) What do you feel are the qualities required for good leadership?
15) Tell me about a group you had to lead that was difficult and how you got the
members to achieve a goal.
Behavior under stress
16) What do you do when you have too much work for a given period of time?
17) Tell me about the toughest decision you ever had to make.
Future Behaviors/Retention Possibilities
18) Where would you like to be careerwise in 5 years? In 10 years?
19) What are three things you will NOT do on your next job?
20) Are you lucky?
If you consider number 20 a bit strange, it has real potential, individuals who believe themselves lucky tend to be optimistic and work out well as collaborators, innovators, and providers of excellent customer service.
Regards,
Nawas
From Kuwait, Kuwait
47We're still playing a version of that game today every time we interview a candidate for a job. A win for your company is substantial -- a productive employee who will be with the organization for many years.
During the interview there are hundreds of questions that could be asked, but if we were limited to 20, which would elicit the responses most predictive of future job success?
We're not talking about routine stuff like "where did you work?" or "what did you do on your last job?" We're talking about more probing questions that reveal the person sitting behind the smile and the handshake.
Here are the 20 questions we have chosen, and the areas they explore:
Education:
1) What aspects of your training and education have most helped you on the job?
2) What skills or knowledge did you earned after you finish education?
Work background/preferences:
3) What about your last job prepared you for this job?
4) What did you like most and least about your previous jobs?
5) What would your previous supervisor say if we asked him or her about what you are like as an employee?
6) What are your two greatest accomplishments on your previous jobs?
7) What are your two greatest disappointments on your previous jobs?
8) If you could design the ideal job for you, what would it be like?
9) Tell me what you know about our company and its competitors.
Workplace interaction
10) How do you resolve personal confrontations?
11) What have you done when you've received instructions with which you've disagreed?
12) What constructive criticism have you received, and what did you do about it?
13) Tell me about your experiences working on a team.
Leadership potential
14) What do you feel are the qualities required for good leadership?
15) Tell me about a group you had to lead that was difficult and how you got the
members to achieve a goal.
Behavior under stress
16) What do you do when you have too much work for a given period of time?
17) Tell me about the toughest decision you ever had to make.
Future Behaviors/Retention Possibilities
18) Where would you like to be careerwise in 5 years? In 10 years?
19) What are three things you will NOT do on your next job?
20) Are you lucky?
If you consider number 20 a bit strange, it has real potential, individuals who believe themselves lucky tend to be optimistic and work out well as collaborators, innovators, and providers of excellent customer service.
Regards,
Nawas
From Kuwait, Kuwait
hii to all
unfortunatly i m unable to find a book loaded here sometime bak about the interview question with answers sample which gives an idea how to respond named like 60 questions and answers about jo interview that was really helpful for me give the inside or between the lines of interview
but i searched some other posts and hope will b helpful for u
<link no longer exists - removed>
some questions written here are asked generally to newcomers too.
https://www.citehr.com/114117-common...s-answers.html this contains those questions which can be very tricky for a fresher
https://www.citehr.com/11139-prepare...questions.html
this page also contains some related questions asked .
for the sister asking about pregnancy reporting.if they ask u then tell them the truth but if they dont ask dont tell them this in first meeting as most organization do many screen check before hiring.so disclose it later.
polky
From Pakistan, Karachi
unfortunatly i m unable to find a book loaded here sometime bak about the interview question with answers sample which gives an idea how to respond named like 60 questions and answers about jo interview that was really helpful for me give the inside or between the lines of interview
but i searched some other posts and hope will b helpful for u
<link no longer exists - removed>
some questions written here are asked generally to newcomers too.
https://www.citehr.com/114117-common...s-answers.html this contains those questions which can be very tricky for a fresher
https://www.citehr.com/11139-prepare...questions.html
this page also contains some related questions asked .
for the sister asking about pregnancy reporting.if they ask u then tell them the truth but if they dont ask dont tell them this in first meeting as most organization do many screen check before hiring.so disclose it later.
polky
From Pakistan, Karachi
Hi,
Those were the best examples of behavioural interview questions, which would dig out the employee and judgment regarding him/her would become little easier.
And Harlina: that's a good question and, that's a tricky situation as well. Of course if the pregnancy is in the beginning stage the candidate can specify only if it is asked during the interview.
Also, some might argue that the candidate should tell about the pregenancy on her; yes candidate is expected to tell, if she would need holidays within 6-7 months of her joining. Because no company want a person to join them who will go on long leave within 6 months.
Thanks,
Vidhya
From Canada, Calgary
Those were the best examples of behavioural interview questions, which would dig out the employee and judgment regarding him/her would become little easier.
And Harlina: that's a good question and, that's a tricky situation as well. Of course if the pregnancy is in the beginning stage the candidate can specify only if it is asked during the interview.
Also, some might argue that the candidate should tell about the pregenancy on her; yes candidate is expected to tell, if she would need holidays within 6-7 months of her joining. Because no company want a person to join them who will go on long leave within 6 months.
Thanks,
Vidhya
From Canada, Calgary
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Interview questions.doc