Ducks in a Row: Two Great Interview Questions
by Miki Saxon
Wayne Jackson, CEO of software security firm Sonatype, has a favorite question he asks when interviewing.
“Can you tell me about a time when you almost gave up, how you felt about that, and what you did instead of giving up?”
My favorite question is also a three-parter, but looks at company instead of self.
“How did you/your team do X, did you agree with the approach, what would you have done differently if it was your decision.”
Both questions address the most important issue of an interview, how the candidate’s mind works, i.e., how she thinks.
Getting insight into how she thinks trumps any other information you can discover during the hiring process.
Understanding how a person thinks gives you insight as to how she will interface with the team, approach her work and handle challenges as they arise.
How she thinks is also key to how well she’ll fit your culture.
And cultural fit is the key to productivity, engagement, happiness and everything else.
Hat tip to KG Charles-Harris for sending me the Inc article.
Flickr image credit: bpsusf
