Interviews are a blessing and a curse, no matter which side of the table you’re sitting on during the formal gathering. I read an interesting comment feed on LinkedIN the other day that chastised interviewers for not getting outside the box to really know candidates. People slammed the formalities around Selection Teams who use the same list of questions for every candidate.
As I pondered the hundreds of interviews I have conducted over the last decade, my trusty list of questions beside me, and the EEOC in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but think how all of the regulations surrounding businesses today have pinned Selection Teams into the aforementioned box.
Like many managers, I have been trained it is “best practice” to ask every candidate the same list of questions so you don’t discriminate against a candidate. By asking each candidate the same questions, everyone is given the same opportunity. Blah…blah…blah!
Why Standard Questions aren’t “Awkward” in Interviews
One of the biggest complaints on the feed was how awkward standard question lists make interviews. I have to admit, there have been times I’ve felt awkward asking my trusty list of questions. But the awkwardness hasn’t come from the questions themselves, it has come from the answers that are given. Or perhaps, the lack of answers given that fail to spur any type of in-depth conversation.
As a former journalist, I understand that every person has a story hiding inside of them. The better you are at asking questions, the more likely you are to pull that story out. An interview is really an opportunity for someone to tell their story. Some people are much better storytellers than others. It is the people who are afraid to tell their story, or the people who haven’t taken time to understand their story, that create the awkward moments in an interview. I believe the best storytellers are typically the ones who win the best jobs.
False Evidence Appearing Real (FEAR)
So how do you become a better storyteller during an interview? You have to let your guard down and be you. That means you have to let go of your fear of rejection.
Deep down we all have a fear of being judged and rejected, and an interview is all about someone judging you, comparing you to others, and rejecting you if they don’t think you fit. It’s no wonder people become stoic onions in an interview, overly guarded with their answers as the selection team tries to peel back the layers to find their inner core.
Why are we so guarded?
Because we convince ourselves that the answers we might give about who we really are could prevent us from getting the job we really want (or need). We convince ourselves that we may not be good enough, and we let all of the fears in our head prevent us from really telling our true story. I often remind people those FEARs are simply “false evidence appearing real”. Since interviews are merely investigations in their own right, get rid of the false evidence. Just be you. At least if it’s determined you weren’t the best fit, it’s because you let the selection team know the true you.
But there is one other thing you can do to prepare. You can learn and write your own story. You already know most Selection Teams are going to use a handful of the same questions. Come in prepared to answer those questions. Knock them out of the park with your answers that tell your story.
5 Interview Questions Designed to Let You Tell Your Story
1. What do you enjoy most about your current job?
This question is a subliminal way of asking, “What are your biggest strengths?” Because no one likes to talk about their strengths, this question is designed to let someone share what they enjoy without feeling like they’re bragging. So your answer to this question should highlight the skills you have related to the job at hand. It’s how you tell YOUR story.
A sample answer might go like this:
“Well, that’s a hard one. First, I absolutely love that I get the opportunity to teach other people how to grow in their roles as professionals. As the leader of our marketing team, I get to design training programs, develop strategy, and then train, coach, and hold people accountable to becoming the best versions of themselves at work. That’s probably my favorite.
“But I also love that I get to use my entire skill set. In a small company, I get to wear many different hats. I may start the day exploring our digital conversion rates and analyzing where strategy needs shifted. Then I may jump over to writing sales copy for a new brochure before editing our newsletter. I’ll wrap up the day working on a graphics project for our new product launch. It’s diverse, and I really enjoy being able to put all of my talents to work for the team.”
Tip #1: End by asking a followup question like, “In what ways does this position involve multi-tasking throughout the day?” Then followup their response highlighting how you’re the perfect fit.
2. What do you enjoy least about your current job?
Like the last question, this question is also subliminal. No one likes to talk about their weaknesses, but we are all open to talking about things we dislike. When you’re asked this question, the interviewer really wants to know what your weaknesses are and how they may or may not hinder your ability to do the job.
Everyone has weaknesses. The best employees know how to play their strengths up to divert their weaknesses.
A sample answer might go like this:
“I’m a perfectionist and goal oriented person by default, so I often get annoyed by unrealistic time frames for accomplishing tasks. At the same time, I love achieving the impossible. Let me go a little deeper.
“At the beginning of this year, I was tasked with launching a new product in less than four weeks. In many organizations, four weeks is a lot of time. If that had been my only project, it would have been a piece of cake. It, however, was a new project on top of everything else I was already doing. I’m happy to share that not only did we launch the new product on time, but I didn’t drop a single ball in the process.
“I accomplished the impossible by mapping out project milestones on a daily, and sometimes hourly basis, and then I put in extra hours if I knew they were needed to ensure I didn’t let our team down.”
Tip #2: End by asking a followup question like, “What types of results define success for this position?”
3. Tell me about a time where you took responsibility on a project?
This question is designed to let you highlight your leadership experience. No matter who you are, at some point in your life, you’ve been responsible for something. Use your answer to highlight how your role made a difference.
A sample answer might go like this:
“One of the highlights of my career in community marketing came during our town’s annual Christmas parade. Every year we put in a lot of hours organizing our float, but I was never able to track the ROI from the marketing efforts.
“One year, I came up with the idea to hand out fake snow in tiny packets. In order to understand how to use the snow, parents had to visit our website and watch a video. The video started with a 15-second commercial about our business. We had over 100 people visit our website.
“But I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the project without a great team. I made up a project list, doled out assignments, and met on a weekly basis to ensure we were all on track. After the parade was over, we all celebrated our victory. We may not have won the best float, but we won where it mattered. We educated over 100 people during cold and flu season about our urgent care clinic.”
Tip #3: End by asking a followup question like, “What is the biggest responsibility the person you hire will be asked to tackle first?”
4. Do you prefer working on teams or in a group?
Be default, people think the correct answer to this question is working in teams. After interviewing more than a hundred people, I can tell you I always get the same canned response. The truth is, I love people who understand teamwork, but I need people who can work autonomously to complete their responsibilities.
A sample answer might go like this:
“Have you ever heard of the Meyers Brigg’s Personality Profile? As a manager, I like all of my teammates to take this assessment. I’m an ISTJ. This means by default I’m an introvert and prefer working alone. I need time to think and analyze before coming up with my best results. Give me a project and a few hours to come up with my best ideas, and I will soar in the next team meeting.
“I recognize the value of teams and shared ideas. I love sharing and learning from my fellow teammates. But I truly work the very best when I’m given time to think and act independently before being placed into the group setting. I encourage you to go and Google ‘ISTJ’ to learn more about my personality.”
Tip #4: End by asking a followup question like, “How do teams work in projects around this position?”
5. What would make you stay at your current job?
This to me is a superficial question. I wouldn’t be interviewing with your Selection Team if I wasn’t completely excited about the new opportunity your career holds for my life. Yet so many people blow an entire interview with their answer to this question. They start listing all of the reasons they are angry with their current company at the moment. Don’t fall into that trap. Instead, highlight why you are excited to join the new company.
A sample answer might go like this:
“To be completely honest, I love my current job. It has challenged me to grow and become more of a leader than I ever knew was possible, but it’s not my dream job. I’m great at what I do, and if this new career path doesn’t open for me, I will continue to excel there.
“But when I read your job posting, it caught my eye. For three days I went back and reread the job and researched your company before making the decision to apply. I really believe it is a unique fit to my skills and talents, and I believe I will help your company grow. I suppose you actually control the answer to the question. Should you choose not to hire me, that would make me stay at my current job. Otherwise, I look forward to the next step in the selection process here.”
Tip #5: End by asking a followup question like, “Why is this position currently open?”
The next time you find yourself being called to schedule an interview, don’t fret. Congratulate yourself on being selected for the opportunity to get to tell your story. Then walk in there with the best story possible. Celebrate when you get the list of canned questions because you’re now well prepared to turn those questions into a conversation that will make you standout.