When preparing for a job interview, our reflex is to go to Google Search and type : "interview questions". Then millions of website will pop-up with the classical questions & answers as "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" or "If you would be an animal, which one would you be?" or "How do you see yourself in 3 years time?"...
Below a list of questions based on my +20 years experience in business management. Those questions are relevant for a job requiring management. The questions are aimed to assess the "soft" competences of the candidate.
1. What are the top factors that you would use to assess this job offer ?
This will help the interviewer understand the main criteria that the candidate considers as relevant for the job. This question is relevant when launching an internal recruitment process. At the end of the process, the answers provided by the candidate will help to give the feedback to the candidates.
Competences sought: analytical mindset, high impact communicator (verbally)
2. Why are you interested in this job?
This will help to understand the real motivation: is it motivated due to past employer issue or is this fitting perfectly with a career aspiration and values of the candidate?
Competences sought: analytical mindset, trustful relationship builder, engagement (passion, ambitions, career in hand)
3. Here is a situation to solve (give a real case of company issue): describe the steps and points that you think will best solve this situation.
This will help to understand if the candidate has experience in problem solving.
Competences sought: problem solver, decision maker, emotional intelligence (empathy, social situation assessment, communication skills), coach, technical expert
4. Outline your plan for this job?
It is expected here to draft an action plan for the first 3-6 months with goals, main people to consult, which data to analyze, what and how to communicate, metrics of assessing plan...
Competences sought: planner and organizer, decision maker, drived for results, strategy developer, problem solver, team developer
5. What is your reading of the future?
This will help to assess the strategic or long term view mindset of the candidate. Of course a better future for the company is expected.
Competences sought: strategy developer, analytical thinking, entrepreneur, customer focus, technical expert
6. You have to present your business plan for the next 3 years (or any past business or department plan), what are the main headlines?
This will help to assess the strategic or long term view mindset of the candidate.
strategy developer,
Competences sought: strategy developer, customer focus, high impact communicator, business advisor, drived for results
7. Learning: what do you believe you should continuously learn ? How will you do it?
Self awareness is mandatory. Does the candidate is a continuous learner?
Competences sought: continuous learner
Do you agree ? Please share with me your thought ?