How many quarters would you need to reach the height of the Statue of Liberty? If you were shrunk to the size of a penny and put in a blender, how would you get out? If you could have any superpower what would it be and why? Sure, oddball interview questions can demonstrate a job candidates critical thinking skills (and provide some much-needed entertainment) but they may not be optimal for uncovering the person’s capabilities, values, personality, and likelihood of being a good fit for a particular job and team. Luckily, you can still get creative and gravitate from the most common interview questions. I reached out to a few successful women to find out the questions they like to ask candidates and what the answers divulge.
Emily Merrell, the founder of Six Degrees Society, a networking organization that provides curated matches asks this question to find out why the candidate is passionate about the role. “It helps determine what drives them to be a part of your organization,” says Merrell.
Kathryn Minshew, the co-founder and CEO of the career site The Muse asks candidates about their communication style to identify how they likes to be managed and how well they manage up. “This can mean anything from understanding your managers goals and anticipating his or her needs in light of those goals, to speaking up to make sure your talents are being best utilized at the company, to maximizing your time spent with your manager by showing up to meetings and check-ins prepared and, of course, on time,” Minshew explains.
3. Based on what you’ve learned so far, what excites you most about the role?
“This question enables me to see if they have an in-depth understanding of the requirements and whether they are genuinely passionate about the type of work,” says Jaime Petkanics, the founder of the job search consultancy, The Prepary. “It is also a catalyst for an interesting conversation about what theyve done in the past and what unique strengths they can bring to the role.”
Executive vice president and chief human resources officer at the job search site Monster, Kim Mullaney, has multiple reasons for asking potential employees about their unique skills. “First, it shows me how specifically interested they are in Monster and what research they’ve done on the company. You can’t talk about doing things differently if you don’t know what exists, right?” It also helps her determine if the candidate will be a good fit for the organization. “We’re constantly challenging the status quo,” she says, “so we need employees that embody that attitude and won’t be afraid to propose changes – even during the interview process.”
5. Name a time when you really failed at something and it was a complete mess. How did you handle it?
“I like asking about all of the times when things didnt go well. The failures. The trials,” explains Amanda Greenberg, the CEO of the survey site, Baloonr. “That is when Im really able to assess how someone handles pressure, pushback, hurdles, and barriers. Running and working at a startup involves a lot of barriers to entry and a lot of problem-solving. Ensuring that someone is able to not only handle the stress that can come with those barriers, but also find a way to plow through them is really telling,” mentions Greenberg. “I like the person who doesnt hesitate in their response and is always learning and moving. Even better, they dont even view it as a failure at all, but rather, a learning opportunity. Its incredibly telling.”
6. If I were to talk with your current or last supervisor, what would he or she say is the greatest strength that youd bring to this role, and your biggest area for growth of improvement that relates to this role?
Danielle Harlan, Ph.D., the founder and CEO of The Center for Advancing Leadership and Human Potential, asks this question “to assess a potential employees level of self-awareness, understanding of the role, analytical thinking skills, and commitment to continuous improvement.” Self-awareness is a key component of emotional intelligence and is correlated with strong leadership. The question helps Harlan asses whether the candidate understands the requirements of the role and how it will challenge them. She wants to see a commitment to continuous improvement and an awareness of how they can grow and improve in the position.
“This question always leads to a good story, and Im looking for honesty here to know the candidate either embraces failure or change, and becomes stronger from it — not embarrassed by it,” says Eileen Carey, the CEO of Glassbreakers, an enterprise software solution for scaling inclusion.
Jill Witty, vice president operations at the recruitment company, Entelo, asks people about company culture. “I learn whether a candidate understands that culture isnt about happy hours and ping-pong, but about our companys shared values. I also discover how a candidate hopes to impact our organization, above and beyond the job description,” Witty says.
9. Tell me about a time when you got home from work, put up your feet, and thought, ‘I am so good at my job.’ What happened that day?”
“This question helps me get to what drives the candidate to learn and grow and contribute – what really gets them excited and has made them proud, no matter what the job was. It works at every title level and for every personality, and it gives me a snapshot of how that person might fit into our culture,” notes Liz DeForest, an account director at Bliss Integrated Communication.
“Aside from finding out what the candidate actually learned, its also very interesting to learn the impetus behind it. Was it for a project, new responsibility or professional development? It provides insight into whether the person takes initiative to learn new things so they can be more effective, stay current on advancements in their industry or function, or if the learning was required,” explains Alyssa Gelbard, the founder and president of Resume Strategists, a career consulting and personal branding firm. “I really like this question because as a manager, I want to make sure our team is comprised of like-minded people who seek out opportunities to learn, are intellectually curious and are adaptable, especially when roles are evolving,” says Gelbard.
11. Can you describe a situation where you were presented with a problem outside of your comfort zone and where you were able to come up with a creative solution?
“I’ve found that having a natural curiosity to learn more is one of the most important attributes for being successful in a startup environment. When you’re growing a business, resources can be tight so often startup employees are challenged with figuring out problems that are not necessarily in their field of expertise. Possessing the natural curiosity to research an issue, figure out alternatives, and present a new point of view or viable idea separates the average startup employees from the exceptional ones,” says Janice Ryan vice president of product at the app, Lucktastic.
12. If you were sitting in my chair, what would be the top three qualities that you would be looking for in a candidate for this position?
“If I can sit back and say, ‘they took the words right out of my mouth’ to myself when they finish answering this question, they have great chance of being a finalist. Its reassuring for any manager to know that a potential hire has a grasp on your pain points in your business — bonus points if they can articulate how their skills would meet all of these needs,” notes Elizabeth Shores, executive director of Untapped Shores International, a company that solves the global clean water and sanitation crisis through sustainable technology.
Ask these creative — and revealing — questions to find the best talent for your team.
Are You a Fast Learner? Talk About It in Your Job Interview!
Reference Check – Now, it’s time to ask you question directly: “Describe a time when [candidate] was required to learn a new skill or procedure quickly.”
Do you have a question? It could be any aspect of the hiring process. Or maybe you have an inquiry about staff recognition. Submit your question at [email protected] and I will answer it in a future issue of Briefly Noted.
Here’s a better question: “Provide us with an example of a new skill or procedure you had to learn in your current or a previous job.”
Recruitment Advertising – When listing required (or desirable) competencies, include reference to the ability to learn new skills quickly. Publishing this requirement allows jobseekers to self-select. Are they committed to learning new skills (even better if they enjoy doing so)? If they aren’t, they may not apply, which is a good thing. They likely wouldn’t have fit your organization’s learning culture, and you have just saved yourself time that you would have spent reviewing their resumes.
Interview – Don’t ask questions to which the desired answer is obvious (“Are you able to learn new skills quickly?”). Because you asked, most candidates would conclude that what you want to hear is, “Yes.” Unfortunately, they provide no evidence to support what they are saying.
Identifying Key Soft Skills in the Hiring Process
So, how can you identify a candidate’s soft communication skills? Unfortunately, someone with poor or underdeveloped soft skills can harness enough superficial charm to convince a hiring manager they possess these attributes in spades. But being able to put on an act in a short interview isn’t the same as using soft skills in the workplace. In these cases, the manager might not see the truth until it’s too late.
According to Forbes, these are a few of the key soft skills all employers want workers to possess:
Apart from the right experience and qualifications, employers want workers with good soft communication skills, the ability to work well in a team, good problem-solving skills, good time management and planning skills, the ability to take criticism, and a strong work ethic. Anyone being considered for a people (versus project) management position should also possess coaching, mentoring, and influencing skills.
Asking the Right Soft Skill Interview Questions
When we consider that resumes are usually reviewed for technical skills, correctly discerning your candidate’s soft skills sounds nearly impossible. After all, 45-90 minutes (the length of the average job interview) is not a lot of time to gain real insight into a person’s true character.
Here then, are ten soft skills interview questions to help you make the most of your time (and the candidate’s) and focus on key soft skills in the workplace.
What Is the Interviewer Really Asking?
Questions that ask about your experiences may sometimes feel as though the interviewer is trying to trip you up, but they are a lot easier to answer than you think.
Essentially, by asking a question such as ‘Tell me about a time when you had to learn something quickly’, the interviewer wants to know how adaptable you are and how willing you are to learn new skills.
Being able to quickly adjust your way of doing things to take into account new processes or requirements is an important skill and shows a willingness to change.
Interviewers will want to know that you are going to be able to adapt to their company. Although there are similarities between businesses, and even between industries, each company will have a slightly different way of doing things.
It could also be that the company regularly updates software or procedures and they will want to know that you can change your thought processes and working patterns accordingly.
FAQ
How do you say you are a fast learner in an interview?
How do you demonstrate fast learner?
- Understand your learning style. …
- Have a clear learning goal. …
- Focus on one specific thing. …
- Create and follow a strict learning plan. …
- Set up and follow a daily study routine. …
- Make use of different educational tools. …
- Take notes to remember important concepts.
How can you tell if someone is fast learner?
How do you answer Tell me about a time you had to learn quickly?
