Most interviews are extremely predictable. They have three basic parts--an introduction to the interview that often begins with a question like, "Tell me about yourself and what you've been doing professionally." The second phase where skills competence is evaluated; the third phase is where you ask if they have any questions.
Some people like to conduct interviews with very easy tones to them; others prefer "stress interviews."
Like you, I see my job as finding out the truth--I want to geta sense of a person and their competence and experience, chemistry with my clients and their attitides, character, self-confidence and, maybe charisma. What Ir efer to as personal leadership.
I want to know what someone knows, what they want and how flexible they are in pursuing it (the money, the location, the nature of the job).
Because most interviews have become extremely predictable, i've been looking for something that would be helpful in obtaining a real insight into the person I'm sitting with--something that is not part of their prepared script of answers.
I wasn't satisfied until recently when I read an anecdote from someone who spoke of their worries about being promoted into a job over their head and then it hit me.
"Tell me about a professional situation where you were in over your head and how you handled it."
I ask this question early in the interview.
I'm looking for an insight into the person, not just from what they say but from their body language. I can accept taht they may not have been put into sucha situation but I want to see how they respond to the question and how they respond to my next question.
Did I throw them off? That will be how they handle it in real life.
Will they say that it has not happened to them professionally but in their academic life or personal life, hee is what happened.
I want to get them off the "script" of answers and learn something about the person in front of me.
Email me at thebiggamehunter@cisny.com and tell me what happens when you try using this question, particularly, early in the interview.
Jeff Altman
The Big Game Hunter Concepts in Staffing thebiggamehunter@cisny.com © 2007 all rights reserved. Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, is Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York search firm, He has successfully assisted many corporations identify management leaders and staff in many disciplines since 1971. He is a certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men with life issues, and a practicing psychotherapist. To receive a daily digest of positions emailed to you, search for openings that The Big Game Hunter is working on, to use Jeff’s free meta job lead search engine, Job Search Universe, to learn about his VIP program, or to subscribe to Jeff’s free job hunting ezine, “Head Hunt Your Next Job, go to http://www.jeffaltman.com. Job Search Universe is also available at www.jobsearchuniverse.com To add your firm’s career page to “The Universe” email the url to jobsearchuniverse@gmail.com.
For Jeff’s free recruiting ezine, NaturalSelection Ezine, designed to help human resources professionals, managers and business owners make even better hiring decisions, ,subscribe at www.thebiggamehunter.net. If you would like Jeff and his firm to assist you with hiring staff, or if you would like help with a strategic job change, send an email to him at thebiggamehunter@cisny.com (If you’re looking for a new position, include your resume).
If you have a question that you would like me to answer pertaining to job hunting or hiring, email it to him at: thebiggamehunter@gmail.com
