Good, Bad & Worst Interview Questions You’ve Ever Had

They coif their hair, tailor their suits, and shine their shoes. They anxiously wait alongside the ill-prepared for their time slot of as much eye-contact as they can handle without going blind. The millennials scroll down responsive Web pages on their mobiles to cram in as much company knowledge as they can before their time is up. Welcome to the interview life.

They’ve prepared and practiced. Each interview means a great deal to the candidates, and each one can mean an even bigger deal to you. As much as 80 percent of employee turnover is due to bad hiring decisions. Making a poor choice can result in lower returns, headaches, and overall negativity. So what is one easy way to squeeze the most out of the 10-15 minutes of an interview? Stay fresh, efficient, and current by learning the good, the bad, and the illegal interview questions.

The Good 

With work schedules, employee engagement, and company culture climbing to the top of priority lists, recruiters must think differently when interviewing potential candidates. Eighty-eight percent of millennials surveyed said they want “work-life integration.” Instead of asking the questions interviewees know are coming (and have prepared their fake answers for), make them think on their toes. Ask:

• “What is your ideal work schedule in regards to flex-time and in-office and remote working?”
• “Tell me about a time when you were happiest at work. Why did you feel that way?”
• “How would you handle a team situation where Nina wants to dive right in, Joe is telecommuting, and Todd wants to gut the project?”
• “What was the worst day you’ve ever had at work and why?”

Make the interview a fun conversation and maybe even put the interviewer on the spot, instead of listening to a rehearsed two-sentence ear hazard. If your company is fast-paced and results-oriented, reflect that in the interview through your choice of questions. If your company is stuffy and corporate cog-y — well, go ahead and ask the textbook interview questions.

The Bad

Complacency is an easy rut to fall into – sticking to the same old questions and routines. “So tell me about yourself?” and “what do you consider your strengths?” continue to be the most popular interview questions. In reality, they are the worst. These questions fail to unearth the true motivations, characteristics, and cultural cues of applicants because the candidate knows they are coming. Interviewees prepare for these questions, and as a result, they tell you what you want to hear.

Have you ever hired a great candidate just to find out a month later that they are not who they said they were? They told you what they had to in order to get the direct deposit flowing again. Hiring managers admit that 20 percent of their team shouldn’t have been hired in the first place. This may be an unfortunate truth for an interviewee, but you can make a few simple changes to learn the true identity and work personality of the candidate.

Read more…

Originally posted on Recruiter.com

Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.