For the past 30 years I have spoken to an organization that has thousands of CEOs as members. The group also puts out a newsletter that I have contributed to over the years. Last month they published an article about the 15 questions you have to ask every person in every interview.
This month, they published a second article because lots of members wrote in and asked how they were supposed to interpret the answers to the questions.
I can’t be the only person that sees the irony in this situation. An expert tells you to ask questions but you need an expert to explain to you how to interpret the answers.
Give me a break!
Many of my articles over the years have dealt with how to avoid bad advice when it comes to interviewing. This is another example of someone giving you information that actually makes matters worse.
Common sense should always rule. Any advice you get should easily pass the common sense test. I often tell my clients that any advice you get needs to pass the “EUE” test.
One, is it (E) easy?
Two, is it (U) useful?
Three, is it (E) effective?
Let’s apply the test to the advice of asking 15 standard questions to all applicants in an interview. It seems to be easy on the surface. It certainly is not useful if you need an expert to help you figure out the answers. And without some concrete statistical proof that the questions work (which there is none) you are simply wasting your time.
One primary goal of my Selecting Winners program is that you should never put yourself in a position in which you are not qualified. Asking questions that require an expert to interpret violates that very common sense principle.
Feel free contact our office for more information about questions that deliver the information you need to make great hiring decisions.
Till next time!
