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Employer Interviewing Questions

The purpose of a job interview is eliciting information. You want to know about the qualifications and personal qualities of the candidate. The candidate needs to find out as much as possible about the position with whom he or she may be working. Unfortunately, many interviews become an uncomfortable face off between an interviewer behind a desk and a terrified applicant. The key to successful discussions, in which both sides open up and talk candidly, is helping candidates relax and then drawing them out.

Keep it informal

To make the meeting informal from the start, step out from behind your desk. The seating arrangement should make you and the candidate equals. Then offer something to drink. Ask candidatures if they want some coffee or water, and the pour it yourself. This gestures will make it clear you aren't an ogre. Lead in with a little idle conversation and tell candidates about your company. It's also a good idea to add a little of your background into the company description - where you came fork, why the company attracted you...

Phrase questions carefully

The way you phrase a question can make a person either tense up or relax. Instead of asking "What are your major strengths and weaknesses?", ask "what do you like to do most?" or "Tell me about the best days on your current job and then about your worst days?". Pay attention to the questions candidates ask. When they ask "how quickly will I be trained?" or "how much responsibility will I have?", that's an indication that the candidate will be aggressive and not need a lot of supervision. If they spend a lot of time talking about stress, they probably can't handle it.

Use performance criteria

Instead of using a job description to guide the interview, compile a list of performance criteria for the position. For example: the employee will develop an inventory control system that will boot sales 10% in a certain region or make a positive impression on every customer who he has contact with. Decide which standards you'll use to judge this person at the end of the first and second year on the job. Share the criteria with the candidate and build the interview around them.

The Resource Development Group (one of our partners) has derived some very good interviewing ideas as well as behavioral questionnaires which we can conduct for you. The results will give you great insight into the candidate - not their personality but rather their behaviors -- what they will really be like working for you 3 weeks after they have started. Please let me know if you would be interested in looking at this method.

Below I have listed some very good, probing Interviewing Questions which are perfectly legal to ask a candidate and will give you some good insight into the person.

Please contact me for more information or to discuss further ways I can help you succeed in the interviewing process.

A. Coping Questions
Can the candidate maintain a mature, problem solving attitude while dealing with interpersonal conflict, rejection, hostility or time demands:

1. Tell me about a time when you had to cope with strict deadlines or time demands. Give me an example.
2. Give me an example of a time at work when you had to deal with unreasonable expectations of you.
3. When have you had to cope with the anger or hostility of another person? Give me an example
4. Sooner or later we all deal with interpersonal conflict pr personal rejection at work. Give me an example of a time when you had to cope with these demands.
5. Tell me about a high stress situation when it was desirable for you to keep a positive attitude. What happened?

B. Tolerance
Able to withhold actions or speech in the absence of important information; deal with unresolved situations, frequent changes, delays or unexpected events

1. When have you been most proud of your ability to wait for important information before taking action in solving a problem. How did the wait affect you?
2. People differ in their preference for jobs which have well laid-out tasks and responsibilities or ones in which work changes frequently. Tell me about a time when you were successful in dealing with an unstructured work environment.
3. What has been your experience in working with conflicting, delayed or ambiguous information? What did you do to make the most of the situation?

C. Decisiveness
Able to make decisions quickly and take action.

1. Describe a situation in which you had to draw a conclusion quickly and take speedy action.
2. Describe a time when you were under pressure to make an immediate decision. Did you take action immediately or were you more deliberate and slow?
3. Tell me about a situation when you had to stand up for a decision you made even though it made you unpopular.
4. Many situations at work will require fast thinking and speed in making decisions. Give me an example of a situation in which you were especially skillful in making a decision quickly.
5. Many times it is important to be hard headed about a decision you are making, particularly when others don't like it. Give me an example of a time when you stuck by a decision even though it was under attack by others.

D. Spoken Communication
Able to clearly present information, influence or persuade others through oral presentation in positive or negative circumstances; listen well.

1. What has been your experience in giving explanations or instructions to another person?
2. What types of experiences have you had in talking with customers or clients? Tell me about a time when you had to communicate under difficult circumstances
3. Tell me about an experience of yours that illustrates your ability to influence another person verbally. Feel free to use an example.
4. Careful listening and effective communication go hand in hand. Tell me about a time when your ability to listen helped you communicate better.
5. This job will required you to spend a large amount of time talking with others. When have you had to work in this kind of situation and how did it affect you?

E. Energizing
Able to create positive energy (motivation) in both individuals and groups.

1. Give me an example of a time when your positive attitude caused others to be motivated or energized.
2. Give me an example of something you did which helped build enthusiasm in others
3. Tell be about a time you were able to use a. competition b. recognition c. reward to encourage others and create positive motivation

F. Policy and Procedures
Able to relate to routine operations in a manner that is consistent with existing solutions to problems; conform to established policies and procedures.

1. We all recognize that regulations may vary in terms of meaningfulness. Select a strict and meaningful regulation you had to conform to in your last position. Tell me about the regulation and how you were able to work under it.
2. Tell me about your experiences in logging (documenting) your work activities in a written form. Be specific.
3. Describe a time when you had to adopt a well described work routine. How long did the situation last? Was it involved?
4. Select a job you have had and describe the paperwork you were required to complete. What specific things did you do to insure your accuracy?
5. Give me an example of a time when you found a systematic method for solving work problems to be a good routine to follow.

G. Analytical Problem Solving
Able to use a systematic approach in solving problems through analysis o f problem and evaluation of alternate solutions.

1. Tell me about a time when you were systematic in identifying potential problems at work. Feel free to showcase your analytical skills.
2. Describe a situation when you had to use mathematics to solve a complex problem. Take your time, remember a good example, tell me about it.
3. What was your greatest success in using principles of logic to solve technical problems at work?
4. Give me an example of a time when you actively defined several solutions to a single problem. Did you use tools such as research, math, brainstorming?
5. Enumerate the analytical tools with which you feel competent, then give me an example in your work history which shows your ability of your analytical techniques to define problems or design solutions.

H. Goal Setting
Able to define realistic, specific goals and objectives; to prioritize objectives.

1. Tell me what you do in order to ensure that you have enough time set aside for goal setting?
2. In an aggressive working environment, it is often necessary to prioritize goals to be sure that effort is allocated appropriately. Tell me when you prioritized your goals successfully.
3. Goal statements are often made to meet the expectations of others. Tell me about a time when you took the initiative to set goals and objectives, even though you weren't prompted or direct to do so.
4. What have been your experiences in defining long-term goals? Tell me what specific goal was set and how successful were you at achieving it?
5. Give me an example of a time you used a systematic process to define your objectives. What type of system did you use? What payoff did you get from using the process?

I. Commitment to Task
Able to start and persist with specific courses of action.

1. Give an example of any specific time in which you found it necessary to give long hours to a job.
2. Tell me about a time when you were able to provide your own motivation to produce even though even though you were working alone. How did you motivate yourself?
3. Tell me about a time when you were a driving, highly motivated worker.
4. Some individuals have a strong sense of urgency about getting short term result - others are more laid back and less driven in their approach to work. Give me an example when you were weather more laid back or more urgent.
5. We both recognize that being successful takes more than luck. Tell me about a time when you had to work very hard to reach your goals and be specific about what you achieved.

J. Interaction
Able to communicate with others.

1. Describe a time when you were able to be personally supportive and reassuring to a person who needed a friend.
2. The word "communication" means different thing to different people at different times. Tell me what this word means to you by giving me an example of a time when you had to be warm and amiable as a communicator.
3. Being skillful in dealing with other people in the job is an important factor in being productive. Describe a time when you were successful in dealing with another because you built a trusting relationship.
4. Tell me about a time when you made a special effort to treat another person in a way which showed your respect for the other's feelings.

K. Additional Questions to ask the candidate
There are some good ones here:

1. Time management has become a necessary factor in personal productivity. Give me an example of any time management skill you have learned and applied at work.
2. Just about anybody can give a routine, standard answer to common problems; however, the payoff is often in the development of the unique solutions to common problems. Give me an example of one of your unique and novel problem solutions.
3. Creative persons seem to offer fresh insights frequently. Give me an example when one of your insights was well-receive by others.
4. Sooner or later, we all have to deal with arrogant, dogmatic people. Tell me about a time when you were able to be flexible with this type of person.
5. We cannot do everything ourselves. Give me an example of a time when you dealt with this reality by creating a special team effort at work.
6. Good problem solving often includes a careful review of the facts and weighing of options before making a decision. Give me an example of how you reached an organized review of the facts and weighing the options.
7. In many problem situations, it is often tempting to jump to a conclusion to build a solution quickly. Tell me about a time when you resisted this temptation and thoroughly obtained all facts associated with the problem before coming to a decision.
8. You have been given a project that requires you to interact with difference levels within the company. How do you do this? What levels are you most comfortable with?
9. Give me an example of a method of working you have used. How do you feel about it?
10. How have you benefited from your disappointments?
11. What would you do when you have a decision to make and no procedure exists? Now give me a balanced view - can you give me an example that didn't work out so well?

Interviewing Questions specifically for Sales People

1. Tell me about your sales background, just a two minute overview.
2. What have you liked best (least) about your previous sales positions?
3. What's important to you in your next sales position?
4. What is your "philosophy" on Sales?
5. What makes a person "successful" in sales?
6. Do you believe that salespeople need to me motivated often?
7. What was the most frustrating sales experience you had in the last year?
8. You've probably had an occasion where you realized your initial approach wasn't working and you had to try a different method. What did you do?
9. What can you bring to the table that will increase our sales here?
10. Describe one of your toughest sales experiences. How did you deal with it? Why do you think it happened?
11. Why should I hire you over the other candidates?

Hopefully these questions have helped you and given you even more questions you can ask. Remember, your main objective is to find out as much as you can about the individual you are meeting with. Refrain from making this an interrogation. You and the candidate are already nervous and a bit stressed. Relax, and have fun. Come out from behind your desk, offer water or coffee - have some yourself. Break the ice by first talking a little about the company (maybe 5 minutes - no more), or how you came to the company, what you enjoy most about the company. Then move into the interview process with specific questions.

The Illegal Questions - NEVER ASK:

1. What religion do you practice?
2. How old are you?
3. Are you married?
4. Do you plan to have children?

• An interviewer can not ask about a persons religion, church, synagogue or parish. The religions holiday they observe, or political beliefs.
• You can not ask "does your religion allow you to work on Saturdays?" BUT you can ask "this job requires work on Saturdays. Is that a problem?"
• You may not ask about native language, the language they speak at home, or how they acquired the ability to read, write speak a foreign language.
• You can not ask about their age, date of birth or the ages of their children. BUT, you can ask whether they are over 18 years old.
• You can not ask about ancestry, national origin or parentage. You can not ask about their birthplace. BUT, you can ask whether they are a U.S. Citizen or a resident alien with the right to work in the U.S.

You are forbidden from discriminating against any person on the basis of sex, age, race, national origin, religion or disabilities. If you have any concern that a question you are about to ask may be construed as discriminatory - don't ask it. Give me a call.

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