Page 92 - Boost Your Hiring

78 Boost Your Hiring IQ

ANSWERS
The Strongest Answer
(C) This example shows strong communication skills being demon-
strated through listening as well as talking. The answer also
shows that this person can work collaboratively rather than just
take over a project. It would appear from this answer that this
candidate’s ego does not depend on his getting the recognition or
credit for the project.
This is the person who will come into your company and
will work with your existing staff members. Is this the type of
attitude you think your team would work well with? If so,
probe for more examples of successes that came about by
working collaboratively. You will want to find out about the
challenges that he overcame to get the team working together
with a new leader.

The Mediocre Answer
(B) This answer has all the right components of success but none
of the specifics. The answer clearly talks of leadership and re-
sponsibility but doesn’t have any facts to back the statements
made.
This is where some skilled probing will make a difference in
finding out whether this person has been as successful as she
claims. To learn more about this person’s leadership abilities,
consider probing with questions such as, “Could you give me
an example of the training and development you did for your
team members?”

The Weakest Answer
(A) This is the weakest answer because it lacks focus and does not
answer the question. When a candidate generalizes, you will
have to ask probing questions to get a specific example. Try
asking,“Could you give me an example of how you communi-
cated with your staff on a particular project?”

RATE YOURSELF
If you chose answer (C), give yourself 5 points.
If you chose answer (B), give yourself 3 points.

If you chose answer (A), give yourself 0 points. ______