Hiring the right people is essential for the success of your team. The team is only as good as the people you hire.
Hiring people who are not the right fit is costly. When interviewing, you need to ask the right questions to hire the right people. Basically, there are two types of interviewing questions: those that address capability and those that reveal character. Capability questions are used to establish skills, qualifications, and aptitude. Character questions are used to reveal personality, self-awareness, and integrity. It is natural to ask capability questions. But are you asking enough character questions? Asking these questions will help you determine if the candidate will be a good cultural fit for your team. Hire well to ensure long-term success.
Character Questions:
1. The Role-Model Question: “What trait of your parents do you most want to inherit?” or “Who do you admire? Why?” Answers to this question can reveal the candidate’s values and self-awareness.
2. The Integrity Question: “When is it acceptable to lie in business?” The only acceptable answer is never.
3. The Curveball Question: This can be any tricky question such as “How would you survive an apocalypse?” or “What is 25 X 13?” The actual answer is not as important as how the candidate arrives at an answer. The curveball question is used to see how people react in real-time under pressure. It will reveal how a person reacts in uncomfortable and difficult situations.
4. The Grit Question: Grit is the ability to persevere toward a long-term goal. “What led you to this career?” or “How have you dealt with failure?” Listen for the candidate to reveal their determination, initiative, and tenacity. Hiring people with grit will help your team face potential challenges.
5. The Humor Questions: Humor helps employees build relationships, cope with stress and enjoy their work. Every team can use more of this. To reveal the candidate’s sense of humor, ask “What is the funniest thing that happened to you in the last year?”
As you listen to the candidate’s answers, trust your gut to determine a person’s character. Hiring good people with strong character goes beyond retention rates and profits. Bringing in the right people for your team will have a positive impact on your company culture that will add value well beyond the new year.
Written by:
Kathy Lin, Marketing Communications Manager
Kathy writes content for Tal Healthcare, a healthcare career website. She has a background in recruiting, sales, and teaching. She holds a BA in Biology from the University of Vermont. When she isn’t writing you can find her outside running, skiing or biking.