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Terry Goins 

November 2020 - ATD Links

With more than 50 years of combined experience in the L&D space, we have certainly asked our fair share of questions. And come to find out, that’s often the best path forward, because stakeholders may think they have the necessary answers when in rea

Asking the Right Questions

Wouldn’t it be nice to finish interviewing a candidate and be able to say, “This is the one” or even “This isn’t the one!”  But so often, we’re left somewhere in between. It’s worthwhile honing your interviewing skills to save your company the time and money that’s involved in making wrong talent decisions. The added benefit for you personally is that if you become a good interviewer, you will certainly become a better interviewee.Case in pointMy friend Andy recently felt confused after a full hour interview with a company high on his target list. He told me that the interviewer, his prospective manager, didn’t ask him a single question other than “Is there anything you would like to ask me?” Andy came away with a good feeling about the company, the position, and the people after he spent the hour asking questions and hearing responses, But he wasn’t sure how the manager could have been able to assess him.   Apparently, his prospective boss felt as though he had all the information he needed, and Andy received an offer the next day. After he accepted, Andy asked his new boss about the interview. The manager replied that Andy’s questions and observations told him that he was smart and had the right skills, creativity, and vision for the position. More important, the interviewer said that Andy had the same values as the company’s most successful professionals.While Andy’s manager’s approach was a little unusual, it emphasizes that deciphering the way a candidate thinks can be the most important determinant in assessing his fit for a job.  More conventional ways to figure out whether the prospective hire is appropriate for the position are explained below.Offer a challengeWhen I first started interviewing recent grads, I always seemed to think the candidates were smart and nice. They all earned high marks on my review sheet. I then figured out that they can’t all be the perfect fit. I wondered what I was missing.Then I began to realize that I needed to challenge them to see how they would respond. After that realization, I learned a lot more about each candidate.For you to challenge a prospective hire, you don’t have to play the classic intimidating interviewer—and you may give the company a bad image if you do. You just need to ask a question or illicit a response that lets you watch how the candidate responds under pressure. You can ask a tough skill-based question or challenge a statement she made (whether or not you disagree).You want to determine the interviewee’s poise under pressure as well as her analytical/creative capabilities. For example, the famous Google interview questions serve that purpose. Often the interviewer doesn’t care what answer she receives, she just wants to see how the candidate goes about arriving at it.Interview staplesSome questions are more illuminating than others, and should always be part of your interviewing question list. “Briefly, tell me about yourself…” is a good way to get a summary view of the candidate’s background and what he believes are his strengths. Savvy interviewees will have a concise two-minute elevator pitch ready when they hear this question.“Why did you leave your last job?” can be revealing not only because it may uncover relevant issues to explore, but also because you can get a feel for the candidate’s ability to maturely reflect on distasteful or difficult situations. There’s a good chance a griper at one job is going to be a griper at the next.A third useful question is “Give me an example of when you used x skill (showed leadership/performed under stress).” You want them to see if they can fill in the blank with whatever skillset is particularly necessary for the type of job you are offering.Dig deepIf you hear an answer that doesn’t sit well with you, don’t move on. Instead, be sure to ask the interviewee more about that topic. You may find that the candidate did exactly what you would have done given the situation, and that you hadn’t initially fully understood all of the factors involved.I mentored a young professional once who did not receive an offer from his summer employer before graduating. When I asked him why, he gave a quick answer that almost sounded like an excuse. But after probing a bit more, I found he was in an unlucky situation involving a reorganization and a summer offer was the last thing his managers were thinking about.If you don’t pursue a topic when you get an answer you don’t like, you may be overlooking one of your best candidates.Post interview take-awayThere is some basic information that you need to ascertain before you can get a real feel for an interviewee. First, does she have the specific skills needed for the job? Ask the right questions to uncover answers about her background and experience.Next, is she a fit with your company’s culture? You can find out how well a candidate will work on your team by asking them about her last position and what she valued in her job. And there’s no better feel for fit than figuring out if you would like to work with them. Can you imagine yourself day in and day out on a team with this person?Lastly, determine how difficult it will be to hire this candidate. What will influence his decision to take the job if offered? If you conclude the candidate is a winner during your interview, try to get a feel for the factors that will make him accept an offer.Every Interviewer is also a PR professionalWhether you feel the potential hire is a good candidate or not, always try to leave her with a good impression of you and your company. You want her to say good things about your company, even if she doesn’t work there. You never know…her roommate may be the perfect candidate.

How to Be a Great Interviewer

Amy Wilkins was eager to change her outlook on life. As a team lead at her organization, she felt that a change in pace was more than necessary. She felt ineffective at her job and began to question her next career move altogether. From fighting for her team to be heard within her larger organization, to feeling wary of the support coming from her leadership, Amy’s concerns at work continued to expand.Looking for someone to help guide her and help her discover a new route, Amy took a step to better herself by hiring an ICF Credentialed Coach, Terry Yoffe, PCC. Amy was tired of merely going through the daily motions of her job, and she desperately wanted to enjoy her career.When Amy began her coaching experience, she started to describe it like probing. Instead of telling or offering advice, Terry would help Amy discover what she needed to do and what actions to take. Then Terry would help keep her accountable. Terry and Amy collaborated on many exercises together, and these exercises caused Amy to think in ways she previously hadn’t. But one particular exercise stood out to Amy. Terry asked Amy to identify the most important players in her organization by putting them on a chessboard. “It was fascinating because when I did that exercise, the people I thought were going to be the most important were not the most important people. And I was able to really hone in on, ‘Who is it that I need to influence in order for us to have a new place within that organization?’ Not just me, but my entire team.” Terry then held Amy accountable to act on her findings and begin building relationships with these individuals, which she would report on during their coaching sessions.“Sometimes she would push me in places, and I’d be wanting to fight about it. And then I was like, ‘Nope. The coach is always right.’ I just really had to trust that the coach is right, and I trust that she’s guiding me to a place where I need to go, and that she’s committed that I discover it for myself, so that it becomes part of who I am, moving forward.”By working with an ICF Credentialed Coach, Amy experienced a shift in mindset. She saw how important it was for her to build alliances with others in her organization—not just for herself, but also for her entire team to cease new opportunities within her organization.“When I was going through the coaching process in the early stages, my relationships started to shift fairly quickly within my organization. And while it wasn’t a known thing, necessarily, that I was being coached, I was definitely finding a new voice, and a new place within the organization.”(https://experiencecoaching.com/)

Terry Goins

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