Over the course of my 20+ years of recruiting in the advertising/marketing niche, I have screened and profiled, I'm guessing thousands of candidates. While I get most of my candidates through my extensive network, I also reach out to some directly through my social media efforts. The one question recently found that is very telling is, "I don't like being surprised. Tell me something about you that may surprise me. I'd rather find out now, rather than when we're in the throes of negotiating a potential offer." The answers I have received from this rather simple question often are the candidate's biggest weakness. As we all know, nobody likes to admit areas where they are inefficient or may need more development. They believe by sharing a downfall could result in them being "passed over". Everyone likes to pad their weaknesses into actual strengths like, 'I work too many hours' or 'I tend to write and re-write proposals until the deadline.' By forming the question in terms of looking for a surprise rather than a weakness, I have found most open up without guilt or being ashamed. Give it a try next time you're vetting someone, I'm willing to bet that you will get the information you were looking for rather than the fluff most of us give when we're asked about downfalls.
The question I always include in an interview is “Tell me what you know about _____________ (the organization, company, firm etc.), and why do you want to work here?” It tells me whether they have done their homework, and ideally, thought about why they want to work here doing the work that we do. I listen for what their answer says. Did they read the website/job description, and pull something from there, or did they actually do their homework to see the work we are immediately involved in, and how they can impact that work?
"Do you have any questions?" I always make it a point to welcome candidates to ask anything they would like at the end of my interviews since I believe the most effective interviews are conducted as two-way conversations rather than simply having the interviewees answer me. Asking potential hires if they have any questions reveals a lot about their level of interest in the position. It's always refreshing to interview a qualified professional who expresses a genuine curiosity about the role and is eager to know more about the people they'll be working with or the company they'll be working for. While I often get queries about salary and benefits and am glad to answer them, candidates with specific questions related more to actually working at the company stand out from the rest. I've had competent professionals research the company beforehand and ask about its latest projects. Others express a concern about the workplace culture or employee turnover. Such intelligent queries about things that aren't already in the job description indicate a seriousness to get hired and win you points in interviews.
"Can you describe a challenging project or situation you've faced in your previous role, how you approached it, and what you learned from it?" This question allows the candidate to showcase problem-solving skills, their approach to challenges, their ability to handle adversity, and their willingness to learn and grow from experiences. It gives valuable insights into their thought process, decision-making abilities, and how they handle difficulties in a professional environment.
When I'm interviewing someone for a Social Media Specialist job, there's one question I always like to ask: "Tell me about a time you turned a bad situation on social media into a good one." I love this question because it gives me a peek into how the person handles tricky situations. Social media can be unpredictable, and sometimes things go wrong. How they've dealt with this in the past can show me how they might handle such situations in the future. Plus, their answer can also show me how good they are at solving problems. Changing a negative into a positive isn't easy. It needs quick thinking and creativity. Lastly, their answer can also tell me how they talk and treat people. Dealing with upset customers or followers on social media needs respect and understanding. So, with just one question, I can learn a lot about the person I'm talking to.
Why do you think you might be a fit for our team? This question offers valuable insights into the candidate's understanding of our company's values, and culture, and their ability to align their skills and experiences with the needs of our organization.
At Startup House, we always ask candidates to describe a time when they faced a major setback or failure in their previous work. This question reveals a lot about a candidate's resilience, problem-solving skills, and ability to learn from mistakes. We believe that setbacks are inevitable in any business, so we want to see how candidates handle adversity and bounce back from it. It also gives us insight into their self-awareness and humility, as they reflect on their own role in the failure and what they learned from it. Ultimately, we're looking for candidates who can turn setbacks into opportunities for growth and improvement.
"Tell me about a past failure and what you learned from it." As an interviewer, I think this is a great question to ask to assess how self-aware candidates are. It provides them an opportunity to be reflective and highlight their growth. I've had some professionals be too honest and share major blunders they made late in their careers due to carelessness that cost their past workplace greatly. Others denied that they ever failed. I recommend taking a balanced stance and relating a small anecdote about a minor shortcoming in the past. This could be enough to show you're down-to-earth and accept your faults while still being a competent candidate. For instance, if you ever took a lot of work on your plate and missed a few deadlines, after which you trained yourself to manage your time more efficiently and limit your workload, that would make an acceptable response.
This question reveals the candidate's adaptability and resilience. It assesses how well they can cope with unexpected changes and embrace new approaches. Look for candidates who demonstrate flexibility, problem-solving skills, and an ability to positively impact the outcome despite the change. For example, a candidate could describe a situation where the company's entire project scope changed abruptly. They could detail how they quickly gathered the new requirements, reallocated resources, and effectively communicated with stakeholders to ensure a successful project completion within the new parameters. This highlights their ability to adapt, think on their feet, and deliver results under challenging circumstances.
As a marketing manager, a question I always include in interviews is asking candidates to share a campaign they've worked on that didn't go as planned and how they handled it. This question reveals their ability to reflect on challenges, adapt to unforeseen circumstances, and extract valuable lessons, providing insight into their problem-solving skills and resilience in a dynamic marketing environment.
This question reveals the candidate's openness to learning and growth, their ability to handle feedback gracefully, and their willingness to improve. It also highlights their emotional intelligence and their ability to respond in a constructive manner. A candidate who is open to feedback can foster a positive work environment and continuously improve. For example, a candidate might mention a situation where they received critical feedback from a supervisor, and they responded by actively listening, reflecting on the feedback, and implementing changes to enhance their performance. This showcases their humility, adaptability, and commitment to growth.
In interviews, especially for roles at CodeDesign where both technical skill and the ability to adapt in a dynamic industry are crucial, one question I always include is: "Can you describe a situation where you had to adapt to a significant change or overcome a major challenge at work? How did you handle it?" This question is insightful for several reasons: Adaptability: It reveals the candidate's ability to adapt to change, which is vital in the fast-paced world of digital marketing where trends, tools, and client needs are constantly evolving. Problem-Solving Skills: The way a candidate describes how they approached a challenging situation provides insight into their problem-solving skills and their ability to think critically and creatively. Resilience: The response can also highlight their resilience and determination in facing difficult situations, traits that are valuable in a high-pressure industry. Communication and Interpersonal Skills: How they describe their interaction with others during the challenge can shed light on their communication and interpersonal skills, which are crucial for teamwork and client relations. Self-Awareness and Reflective Ability: Finally, this question can reveal a candidate's level of self-awareness and their ability to learn and grow from past experiences, indicating their potential for continuous personal and professional development. This question not only helps in assessing the candidate's past experiences but also gives a glimpse into how they might handle future challenges, adapt to our company culture, and contribute to the dynamic environment of digital marketing.
This question reveals the candidate's openness to feedback, willingness to learn and grow, and their ability to take constructive criticism. It demonstrates their commitment to personal and professional development. For example, a candidate who prefers regular one-on-one feedback sessions may show a desire for continuous improvement and a proactive approach to addressing areas of improvement. On the other hand, a candidate who prefers written feedback might showcase their ability to reflect on feedback and make necessary adjustments at their own pace.