Comments on: The Best Interview Question of All Time

By: Cathy Barwick

Cathy Barwick — Tue, 08 Mar 2005 03:09:00 +0000

I was going to comment that, by the end of this interview you might know a lot about the interviewee, but not about whether they are right for the job. You still need a context to put it into.

But in the process of registering with the site and getting back to the ‘question’, I find there is another more recent article on the ‘answers’ (http://www.erexchange.com/Articles/default.asp?CID={99A1166C-D6CC-432B-95D8-ADF3DB766768})

So I’ll let someone say it for me – and better than I could ;)

By: STEVEN KENDALL

STEVEN KENDALL — Thu, 14 Oct 2004 06:50:00 +0000

I agree.

If I could only ask one question, this one would help me best. It brings out the candidate’s ability to communicate/interview, gives me good information about their ability to do the job, and the information to get the client interested in meeting them.

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By: Prachi Jain

Prachi Jain — Wed, 05 Nov 2003 09:41:00 +0000

Though I have read this artcile almost 2 yrs later… I think it still holds a lot of relevance. We use another technique in our organization from a book called Topgrading called the CIDS interviewing technique. But that is a very long drawn process. One simple questions, coupled with a few basic questions, I think, should be sufficient to be able to extract most of the information from candidates.

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By: Tom Adam

Tom Adam — Thu, 14 Nov 2002 09:28:00 +0000

Allow me to offer a similar question, but from the other side of the desk. When I have interviewed for a new position myself over the years, the one question I ask that has never failed me is this (addressed to the person who will be my manager): “What do you think you’re like to work for?”

No matter what they say, you will know, and I can offer 2 good examples. Back in my social worker days, I asked this question to the director of clinical services at a facility where I applied. His answer: “I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question”. After several attempts to re-work the question, the best he could offer was a rambling dissertation on his own personal work habits. I concluded he had a difficult time putting himself in other people’s shoes (a surprising failing for a therapist!), and couldn’t objectively evaluate his own characteristics. A second was the answer from the gentleman who became my sales manager when I moved into the private sector. His answer: “I am always blunt, and up front and to the point, and you will always know where you stand with me. And I am always right. But there may be times when we disagree, and both be right, and you may even be more right than I am”. Not only did I take the offer, many years later he continues to be one of my best friends.

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By: Albert Scharbach

Albert Scharbach — Thu, 14 Nov 2002 04:18:00 +0000

This article has remade me as an interviewer. I am now regarded by others in my organization as an excellent interviewer, and my thanks truly go to Lou and the insight presented in this piece.

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By: Jay Hasrajani

Jay Hasrajani — Mon, 27 Aug 2001 06:57:00 +0000

It was really wonderful and intigruing article. Though I read it bit late as compare to the date posted, it resolves the most important dilemna of a Technical Recruiter, infact any recruiter. Thanks Lou.

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By: Dana Milner

Dana Milner — Mon, 09 Jul 2001 06:44:00 +0000

great comments, and I have also “played” with this question
and come up with another exciting way to learn about candidates
with one question: “tell me about a time when you failed” and then go inside
with the extended questions off the candoidates comments.
Hang in there.

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By: Dale Duffy Goldfarb

Dale Duffy Goldfarb — Thu, 28 Jun 2001 10:05:00 +0000

Thanks, Lou for yet another great bit of advice. I have been using a similar question in a written evaluation form I e-mail to prospective candidates for certain jobs. In the written version, it helps me get a sense of the individuals’ ability to think and express himself clearly, her writing ability including grammar and spelling, as well as an understanding of just what this candidate sees as his/her best accomplishment. The level of the accomplishment and the extent to which it is described can indicate quite a bit about the candidate’s readiness to take on certain responsibilities. It is, indeed, a powerful question.

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By: Dawn Knox

Dawn Knox — Thu, 28 Jun 2001 06:55:00 +0000

Excellent Question. You are absolutely correct in it being the all time best question posed that encompasses everything.

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