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What's One Question You Ask on Every Job Interview?
Smart entrepreneurs know an economic downturn can be a great time to hire. We asked our Board of Directors what they like to see from job candidates.
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While unemployment holds frustratingly steady at nearly 10 percent, some businesses are still hiring right now -- many of them small businesses. In fact, small businesses added approximately 26,000 jobs in August, according to a recent survey by Intuit. Since October 2009, small businesses have added roughly 340,000 jobs. Not enough and not quickly enough to dig us out of the hole overnight, but politicians and economists alike continue to tout the job-creating abilities of small businesses. For many entrepreneurs, bucking the trend and helping right the economy is a big source of pride.Why? Smart entrepreneurs recognize that an economic downturn also brings opportunity -- including an abundance of potential employees looking for work, who businesses can scoop up at a bargain.
So we know small businesses (at least some of them) are looking to hire, even amid the continued economic malaise. But what exactly are they looking for in job candidates? Our Board of Directors has created thousands of jobs over the years, and many of them are still intimately involved in the interview process. We asked them for the one question they always ask potential job seekers.
Warren Brown
Founder, CakeLove and Love Café
"Are you good at troubleshooting? If they ask me what I mean, the interview is over."
Julie Jumonville
Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, UpSpring Baby
"I don't ask this question on a regular basis but it has never failed me in a job interview. If I left you with a large, long haired dog for 15 minutes and asked you to count/estimate the hair on the dog's body, how would you approach getting me the most accurate hair count? The interviewee that said they would not count the dog hairs and would pet and make friends with the dog instead is who I hired and they still work for me today."
Tate Chalk
Founder and CEO, Nfinity
"Why do you want this job? From that question, you can tell a lot -- how fast they think on their feet, how much they actually know about our business, how full of it they are? All good things to know. Plus, I want someone to work for me that actually wants to work for me, not just wants a job."
Clint Greenleaf
Founder and CEO, Greenleaf Book Group
"Rather than get a list of references that I never call, I like to make it clear that I am going to call previous bosses. When I call Mr. Sacamano, what will he say about your attention to detail? It's not 'if' but 'when.' You get surprisingly honest answers when people realize you're going to get a real honest answer from a third party."
Rob Adams
Director, Texas Venture Labs at the University of Texas
"Where are you and what are you doing 10 years from now."
Jennifer Hill
Chairwoman, Astia NYC Advisory Board
"What is the question that you wished I'd asked you? Then, I ask for the answer. When I've been on job interviews, I ask if there is something else they are looking for which they have not seen. The question tends to elicit an honest response and invites an opportunity to address other issues. Sometimes you don't get asked the questions that you want to be asked. Find a way to understand the unspoken questions, so that you can infuse your responses with information to make the best impression possible."
Lawrence Gelburd
Lecturer, The Wharton School
"Why are you interested in us and why not stay where you are?"
Tom Szaky
Founder, TerraCycle
"In efforts to see if the candidate can think outside the box I always ask, If you had to create awareness of a program on the other side of the country without a budget, and in fact had to generate $10,000 in revenue in creating the awareness, what would you do? It's always interesting to see how people solve this question, since the more out of the box you think, the better your answer will be. And it is solvable -- even though most people's knee jerk reaction is that it isn't.
Eric Ryan
Co-Founder and Chief Brand Architect, Method
"At Method, every candidate who makes it as a finalist gets asked the same question: How will you help keep Method weird? This is always the third and final question during the 'homework assignment,' which is the final stage of our interview process. We give candidates 45 minutes to present three questions, which are given to them several days in advance. Kind of a live audition. We find it to be a much higher predictor of success than relying just an interview and reference checks, so it has been a cornerstone of our interview process for over five years. "A big advantage of this approach is that it allows you to get a real sense of chemistry and cultural fit by prototyping what working with a candidate will be really like. Since 'Keep Method Weird' is a cultural value, we ask them directly how they will support this, which is a tough question to answer in an interview in front of an audience. It forces people to show us who they really are, so we can see if they have courage, confidence and creativity. Because when you are trying to disrupt traditional categories, you need weird people who see the world a little differently."
Phil Town
Investor and Author of Rule #1 and Payback Time
"Tell me why you are the best person in the world for this job."
Gary Whitehill
Founder, The Relentless Foundation and New York Entrepreneur Week
"If you had one wish, and it was the only wish that is guaranteed be granted in your lifetime, what would it be and why?"
Steve Strauss
Columnist and Author of The Small Business Bible
"I like the off-beat question that evokes answers that can't be rehearsed. What is your favorite book or favorite movie? That's good because it makes the interview more personal and usually ends up revealing something interesting about the person."
Lexy Funk
Co-Founder and CEO, Brooklyn Industries
"Why do you want to come work for Brooklyn Industries?"
Comments (Page 2 of 5)
These employers said nothing about race, it's simply a "quote" of what each ask at an interview...and about the OBAMA things"
O = one
B = big
A = A**
M = Mistake
A = America
Yo Fongool - Amen brother
well steph the white male is the most discriminated person in america he can not have a company with only white employes yet all other races can he is always asumed racist by some one of another race if he is or is not it is funny that all other races may call him cracker white bread honkey white boy so on and so forth but thats not racist its comedy and he should just laugh it off so if he says he no to a black president based on him being black who cares at least the white mans wife dosent need 28 helpers to get her threw her busy day of vacations childrens book readings or buying clothes the only change that obama brought to the white house was an even more useless president than bush so steph do the world a favor and hang your self in the closet with a belt a white one
That is exactly right. I'd say that you won't get a comment on that because Advest has an HR policy of merely confirming a past employment relationship.
I also answered all of these poo-head questions correctly, and in 2 1/2 years got one job offer - minimum wage at Radio Shack. I'm a securities lawyer, number 2 in my class. Yeah.
Hello Mr.Clint Greenleaf: in louisville, KY an enployer can only state that you worked there and the time frame that you were employed. Any other statements can get them in a S#!^ load of trouble.
I would ask most of the interviewers, I came in here with a jacket and tie in deference to your position and my respect for your time, why didn't you do the same.
Julie Jumonville is ridiculous. When I ask an employee to do something, I expect them to do it. She is going to hire someone who doesn't do what she asks when they don't feel like it. And, she is going to discriminate against anyone who doesn't have strong feelings towards dogs. She is in the baby business, not the dog business. I love babies, but I do not have strong feelings towards dogs. It seems like she has succeeded in life despite her intellectual limitations.
Sally,
You are so correct! Age discrimination is rampant! I am an RN for 32+ years and it is happening in this profession as well. Young grads and other inexperienced nurses running the hospitals! The death rate will most likely begin to rise soon!
Sally & Linda you are so on the money! Being over 50 is like a death sentence in the workforce these days. I have been on so many interviews & I know they will not hire me because of AGE DISCRIMINATION! It's against the law, but extremely difficult to prove. Such a shame that a bunch of idiots with little experience run these companies right into the ground.
A lot of businesses and companies are run by young idiots. You can't run a successful business if you have no experience. I am of course an older individual and an accountant by trade. These youngsters find ways to discriminate. My favorite is the accounting test that makes no sense. Of course their friends get 100% on this test and get the job too.
When I've been forced to take an accounting test and told that I've failed, I asked to see my mistakes. Each time they refused. That didn't surprise me because they didn't plan on giving me a passing grade.
I took a test for tax preparation and called the agency to see if I was on the list for the job. After waiting about 3 seconds, she told me I failed. I proceeded to tell her that I did not and that she couldn't have scanned her list of 600 people in 3 seconds. When I told her she was cheating, she asked me what she couild do for me. Of course I told her that her company was dishonest and I wouldn't work for them.
These kinds of actions are against the law, but they're breaking them constantly. I have had to correct accounts by college, master-degreed youngsters. It's no wonder we're in a bad recession. So I don't want to hear about questions they ask on a job interview, because they have no intention of hiring anyone over 40 years of age. A lot of companies are going down the tubes because young people don't have the experience to run the companies. AIG should fold fairly soon.
Interesting how an article would ask the AOL board questions on hiring when they are obviously running AOL into the ground. Have you tried the chat rooms lately? NOTHING but adbots and now they'd deleted profiles yet AGAIN. There is no provision to even report adbot profiles any longer with the new 'upgrade'. Ever try to get hold of anyone at AOL... can't be done! Bad sign. AOL continues to spiral down the toilet, so I ask: Isn't it rather telling what kind of people AOL hires? Not the cream of the crop. I'd never take hiring advice from a board that appears to be intent on putting themselves and their company out of business.
If so.. the persons would have learned wonderfully from the legacy of former slave masters women who would mishandle children to the point of beating them to death, including slapping them up against walls and otherwise. Widely unreported and greatly servicing wonderfully your ignorance. YOu're guessing, I'm not! How blatantly arrogant & unattached to truth and blind to the benefits of open dialogue and the perspective of others views which can inform our decisions toward positive change. YOu will never learn. That's the fun part. YOu're a train heading toward certain doom and are too busy clinking celebratory champagne glasses, in the middle of a recession, no less, to see the stone wall you're headed toward..hehe:) Meanwhile you set the navigation and chose the route. Cheers to the destruction of your ignorance and anything attached to it. YOu are the past.. welcome to your future.That will be the time for celebration, all around. woohoooo!:)
I think Steph was not dropped as a baby; steph was simply thrown up against a wall.
Interesting responses and even more interesting interviewers. I have interviewed literally thousands of people and can tell you that were you to ask some of these narrow-minded questions you would lose some quality hard working people.
Just because someone can open a business does not mean they are qualified to do all parts of that business. Obviously some of these folks need t o “think outside their own box:” and get a qualified hiring company to do this part of their business. We are going to see a myriad of problems from some of the new "entrepreneurs" that have no idea how or what real business is.
SALLY, I see this all the time. The younger generation that does not take advantage of the experience and knowledge of another generation. Simply ridiculous. Like maybe they are still mad at their mommy and daddy. Without the valuable experience of ALL kinds of people, this would be a terrifying country. Oh wait, this gen is doing just that.
Don't hate them because they are stupid (in spite of their short turn luck, money and business idea, not uncommon at all, I might say)
And as for Julie, one company I was asked to hire for had an executive that cared more that her employes liked her dogs (yes, 6 of them) than their qualifications. SHE herself was replaced. Again, as for Julie, I know where NOT to shop.
Discrimination is rampant in America today. This generation hiring people has repeatedly broken law after law about discrimination. Just take a look at some of the ads: young woman needed, young pros wanted; These are against the law and if those that think this does not matter now, just wait, IT WILL.
Discrimination laws are there to protect us all. People fought hard and long to eliminate (or attempt to) some of this ignorance. I see discriminating ads every day, believe me, they will catch up with these companies, just a matter of time. And those too dumb to know you cannot discriminate against sex, age, race, religion, etc. need to become informed on hiring laws before their [profits go to those that are being discriminated against... and those that are watching.
I once asked the question, "Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?" to someone who was interviewing for a job in our R&D Lab. He told me he saw himself owning a company that would compete with mine. End of interview.
Rediculous questions like these along with arrogant and corrupt executives are the reasons I ABANDONDED "the corporate culture" and started my own business!
It is now TOO obvious that your educational and business prowess have NOTHING to do with your ability to work. Job descriptions (or LACK thereof) with "CONFIDENTIAL" employers who are usually HEADHUNTERS pfishing for new candidates make the job search a SICK GAME.
Everything is ACTING now...as if anyone really cares about such broad and abstract questions (employer or MORE IMPORTANTLY employee) and how you look in your suit, tie, watch, cufflinks and shoes that cost more than you should have spent in the first place.
This article is a RED FLAG that employees DON'T count if a job you would be good at hinges on trivial nonsense.
Perspective candidates who are subject to questions such as these are trying to get a JOB and not be YOUR SLAVE!!!!
I'm glad I don't treat people like this. I am a good person and MAN enough to ask realistic questions!
I am a hiring manager for the camp I work with, and have found that the types of questions they are asking here get me ho-hum results. I have since changed to a behavioral interview process, which (1) pinpoints specific job competencies (in this job you need to have compassion, and put the needs of others before yourself at many times!), (2) asks the candidate specific questions about the competencies, (3) asks the employee to draw from a specific example in their life in which they utilized this competency.
Example: "Tell me about a time at work or in our life, where you had to put the needs of others ahead of your own. What was the situation and the relationship between you and the other people? How did it go, what did you learn?"
Warren Brown has it right, if they ask for clarification on the question or what it means, the candidate is not right. If they don't grasp the language of the question (which usually mirrors language of our website), they have not done any research on the job and do not have a value for our company culture.
If they give a hypothetical answer, I prod them for a real example. If they cannot give one, I realize they do not have a grasp of the concept and have not been practicing it in their lives.
With this technique, you can get the personality traits you want in a candidate, and teach them other technical nuances of the job after they are there (you can't train someone to be caring or have a positive problem solving attitude)!
I detest every single one of these interview questions! These questions show me that the interviewer is not interested in qualifications or experience and is just looking to feed their narcisim. When I was looking for work and was posed with one of these ridiculous riddles, I would find a way to turn the question back on the moron asking it and then I would chalk if off my list of places where I might want to work. I also had not problem (politely) telling the interviewer that I found the question moronic.
C'mon people. These aren't the only questions they ask. This is a list of just one of the questions they always ask potential candidates. These are great questions if you want to know not only if a person is qualified, but if they fit into your company culture. I can train someone to do the job I hire for, but if they don't fit into our company culture, no matter how qualified, they will be trouble in the long run.