What makes you angry?
This can give you an idea as to how a candidate would practice his/her personal values in the organisation. How much effect it would have on the work environment and the people around him/her. Someone with a short temper can affect the other employees and create an uncomfortable work environment.
How do you typically handle a situation when things don’t go as planned?
Every job comes with its own risks and the way a certain person handles that situation will decide the end result. The choices that are made will be reflected in the end result which will remain a part of the organisation whether good or bad. So if the employee is someone who is calm amidst a storm then that would be the first step towards handling things successfully. Give them a scenario and monitor how confident they are with their answers. After all an interview itself is a challenge and the confidence that they portray will be a good representation of what to expect.
When you’re given the responsibility of handling a project as project manager what would be your first step?
A project is a huge responsibility and being the project manager adds to that responsibility making it a hurdle that the team has to make across with the leader. And this is a good chance for you to understand whether he/she is a leader or a manager. Someone that will work with the team or get the team to work. The first few steps are as crucial as the journey and the approach that a leader takes to communicate with a team is much different to that of a manager. When the one who is leading know where he/she is going it will reflect on the team and the successful completion of the project.
What do you think the biggest challenge, would be in this role?
Joining an organisation is a process and the transition is a rather time consuming process as it is a complete change of pace as well as environment. And once you’ve become comfortable, it is hard to adapt to change. Same goes to a new position, whether the candidate is highly experienced or new, things will be tough at the beginning. The challenges that he/she will face can vary depending on how adaptable the person is. By asking what challenges he/she has contemplated can give you an understanding whether they are aware of the challenges that come with the job role and how much effort that has gone into the preparation of the interview. After all, if it’s a completely new position to that candidate it is good to know whether he/she has done at least bit of research on what the job is.
Are you in touch with any of your former colleagues?
This applies to those that have been a part several other organisations previously. And the relevance of this is that you are able to get an idea of the candidate’s personality. Whether the employment ended in good terms or whether he/she cut all ties before leaving for a reason. There’s a lot that a person can hide about their previous employment and that involves conflicts, inappropriate relationships with his/her colleagues and even personality traits that has created an uncomfortable work environment. A simple question will not revel all this information although the answer a candidate choses to give will indicate whether he/she is still at good terms with the former colleagues.
Every answer will be more creative than the other, although it’s the way that you strategically place the questions that will give you the correct understanding regarding a candidate. An experienced recruiter will know when a candidate is lying and whether the conversation flows smoothly or whether it’s a forced, incomplete conversation that has not flow to it whatsoever. A conversation itself along with the candidates body language and confident can say a lot about him/her suitability to a certain position. But when you get creative with the questions, it will make what is usually a nerve wrecking experience into a pleasant conversation.