Hiring tips for recruiters – Hiring managers, we tell you about a few questions you mustn’t ask directly but in a different way, in a job interview.
Hiring is a difficult procedure.
A manager needs to scan through the resumes, look for a particular skill and experience in them, shortlist candidates, and finally interview the candidate.
While the main motive behind the interview is to know whether the candidate is perfect and will be able to fulfil his/her responsibilities well, there are a certain number of things recruiting managers must keep themselves from asking in a job interview.
Not because it sounds bad or unprofessional, but because asking those in a different way makes the interviewee more comfortable, and confident, which gives you glimpse of the candidate at his/her best.
Hiring managers, we tell you about a few questions you mustn’t ask directly but in a different way, in a job interview.
“Why do you want to work with us?”
Frankly speaking, unless you’re a giant in your industry or a company whose employees are extremely happy, it’s quite clear that no one would want to work with you eagerly, unless it’s their dream role or company. You want a perfect candidate for the job, they want an opportunity, as simple as that. Also, the question lies on the list of the most predictable questions in a job interview, which is why candidates prepare themselves well.
To know what exactly do they think and love about the company try asking it in a different way. Something like- I see you’ve worked at ABC company in the past. Considering that you have a good experience in XYZ field, I would like to know what did you like about our organization and why do you wish to take up this role?
“Tell me about the responsibilities you have held in the past.”
Nope. Not even close to professionalism. Asking a candidate about the responsibilities he/she has held in the past is pretty much like asking him/her to narrate a history of their career graph. You do not have time for that, nor will the candidate be very impressed regarding the recruiting process of your organization. The candidate is not going to work for the company, but work with the company. Use a case study to know about the candidate’s potential of fulfilling a job role. Something like this could be good- At present we have a such-n-such situation in the team. What do you suggest should we do?
“What is your biggest strength and weakness?”
This question might have rocked an interview in the past. However, it’s way too predictable and boring in today’s date. Strength and weakness is never singular. People have them in numbers and quite often than never, they end up messing the answers, which could also give you a blurred picture of their profile. The best way to ask about it is to talk about a situation and ask the candidate how would they use their biggest strength or weakness to tackle a situation like that.
A number of times, candidates have no clue about what is to befall them in an interview. Their nervousness and anxiousness may drape their skills and talents, which is badly required for a job. In such cases, you as a hiring manager, are expected to make sure that the candidate is comfortable and confident, while answering.
