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My Favorite Interview Question

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May 2, 2017
This article is part of a series about Editor's Pick.

It’s a no brainer that knowing the reasons a candidate has applied for a job will help you win them over in the offer stage. My favorite question in a screening interview is …

Were all taught to tell employers why we’re right for a job. I want to know what job is right for you. What qualities and responsibility are you looking for next? 

However, asking once is often not enough. That’s because some people haven’t thought about what they really want. They know why they’re looking to leave their current job, but they haven’t reflected on what they really want next. During interviews, you might find out that what’s really important to a candidate is a supportive boss, a shorter commute, or more vacation, even though what she said in the first interview was that she wanted more responsibility and a larger budget.

You can check in with candidates via Skype or e-mail at the end of each week or after an interview with a hiring manager, for instance.

“What did you learn from your interview yesterday?” and “Based on what you know now, does this sound like the right job for you?” 

If the candidate hesitates or says no, find out why. If the answer is a problem that can be solved, try and solve it. When you make an offer, the only surprises from a candidate should be pleasant ones.

image from bigstock

This article is part of a series about Editor's Pick.
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