Learn the Secrets to Great Interview Questions
In his book, The Manager’s Book of Questions: 1,001 Great Interview Questions for Hiring the Right Person, John Kador identifies seven types of questions that serve specific purposes in a job interview:
Icebreaker and Background Questions
Behavioral Questions
Questions to Determine Fit
Core Competency Questions
Ethics Questions
Brainteaser Questions
Closing Questions
Each type of question has its place, yet you must know how to interpret each response. After all, “the specific content of the answer is rarely the key element you should be listening for” (Kador xvi). Even nonverbal cues, such as body language and eye contact, reveal a great deal about an applicant.
Insight has experience with each type of question, and the one we find most revelatory is behavioral. Kador hypothesizes that “the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in a similar situation,” and we couldn’t agree more. Past performance is related to instinct, which is what the tools that Insight uses -- the Kolbe Indexes®. We also use the Whole Mind Assessment process.
Asking the right questions doesn’t always involve questions.
As Kador notes, behavioral questions are focused and offer possibilities for follow-up (9). They take the form of “Tell me about . . .” imperative statements rather than interrogative sentences. They investigate reality rather than hypothetical situations, requiring the interviewee to explain how they did respond to a problem rather than how they would respond.
Kador’s book offers 187 behavioral questions, each naturally fitting into a specific script or line of questioning that he also provides. He reflects briefly on the shift in the hiring process from one that Human Resources once managed from start to finish to one in which Human Resources initiates the process by qualifying an applicant before passing their name on to another department for further interviews. That shift means that employees previously removed from the hiring process are now playing a vital role as interviewers and need to be well-prepared (Kador xiii).
Consider learning from the experts.
Because the current job market is so competitive, you may be tempted to rely on a down market to provide top-notch applicants who are desperate for the job. We maintain that résumés alone are insufficient to determine which applicant is the best fit for the job. Insight’s extensive experience in the hiring process and performance management provides us with valuable insight into a prospective employee’s overall fit and potential contributions to your organization. To ensure a meaningful and successful hiring process, we recommend reviewing The Manager’s Book of Questions and working with an expert who can guide you through the interviewing process.
Contact us to discuss in more detail what a partnership between Insight and your organization could entail, as well as the results you can expect.
Source: Kador, John. The Manager’s Book of Questions. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006.