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The Four Question Interview

A recent Wall Street Journal survey shows company executives lack interview skills. The survey was conducted by sending questionnaires to 195 CEOs in mid-size companies and 35% responded.  The survey reports 96% of executives said it is "very important" to select employees who will fit their organizations' culture, values and mission. Yet only 17% of those executives claimed "a great deal" of training in selection and behavioral interview techniques.  While companies say human resources are the key to success, many are weak at the critical point in the selection process - "The Interview". There are still too many managers who think a chat over lunch will let them divine the talents of a candidate and the emotional and psychological ambitions of a candidate. 

First Measure Performance - Then Personality!

The interview is not a casual conversation. It needs to be a fact-finding expedition. You can accurately determine the candidate competency with the following 4 questions:

The Questions

What to Listen For
Question 1:
Please give me a quick overview of your position, your company, and describe your most significant accomplishment?		 Ask for the past 2-3 jobs, listen for personal energy and impact! Use fact finding to get lots of examples and details - when, why, how, impact, results, and time frame. Ask SMART* questions and measure the trend over time.
Question 2:
Please draw an organization chart, and describe your most significant team or management accomplishment?		 Look for Span of Control and Team Leadership over the last 2-3 jobs. Get examples of the candidate's actual role, time and effort involved, interpersonal challenges, motivating others and dealing with conflict.
Question 3:
One of our key performance objectives is ________________. (describe objective) Tell me about your most significant comparable accomplishment?		 Look for Job Specific Competency. Get details to minimize exaggeration.  Anchor each major  objective with a past performance accomplishment. The key is to increase your hiring accuracy. 
Question 4:
If you were to get this job, how would you go about implementing and organizing the ______________ ? (describe your key performance objective)		 Look for adaptability and ability to contribute in a new environment - ask about top two or three performance objectives. Refer to the Performance Profile for the top 6-9 critical objectives.

Notes:

  •  SMART* questions and objectives as defined in the Performance Profile:  A list of the top 6-9 things a person must do within a specific time-frame to be successful in the job.
  •  SMART* Objectives are Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented,  Result defined, and Time-based.
  •  Situational behavioral questions like these get at job-specific problem solving, flexibility, insight, communication skills, strategic and tactical planning, intelligence, self-confidence, and communication skills.
  •  Focus on what the candidate has actually done! The best predictors of success include a track record of high energy (work ethic, initiative), team leadership, and some level of comparable past performance. Add to this the ability to adapt and produce in a new environment and you've got a strong candidate.

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