Page 28 - Boost Your Hiring

14 Boost Your Hiring IQ

ANSWERS
The Strongest Question
(A) This is the strongest question because it asks for more than a
single-word response. If candidates answer with a single word,
that should be a red flag that they are not open communicators.
Turn up your listening skills to read between the lines if the
answer seems too good to be true. Such an answer might be, “I
get along with everyone.” It is difficult to believe that a person
can get along with everyone. In order to fully test this type of
answer, be sure to follow up with a behavioral question such as,
“Tell me about a time when you had a conflict or a difference
of opinion with a coworker.” You’ll learn more about behav-
ioral questions in Part 2.

The Mediocre Question
(C) This is a mediocre question because it can be answered with
three words and nothing more, unless you probe for the reason
behind the answer. A stronger way to ask this question would
be to say, “Describe three personality traits that your cowork-
ers would use to tell me about you.”
If candidates answer with a single-word answer, they haven’t
listened to the question. They probably haven’t thought about
what their coworkers think about them. As with any single-
word answer, you will need to obtain more information by
probing with additional questions.
The Weakest Question
(B) This is the weakest question because it is too narrow in scope to
provide you with much information. What if they say “smart
people”? You will not have gained much information about the
values and tolerance of this person.By asking a broader question
such as, “What exposure have you had to working with people
from diverse backgrounds and cultures?”you will be finding out
how much work he or she has done in different environments.In
today’s global work environment you may want to look for peo-
ple who are tolerant and accepting so that they can fit into a vari-
ety of situations with a variety of people and still be comfortable.

RATE YOURSELF
If you chose question (A), give yourself 5 points.
If you chose question (C), give yourself 3 points.

If you chose question (B), give yourself 0 points. _____