Hiring for Attitude Ch 2

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Questions and Answers

Why are commonly used interview questions like 'Tell me about yourself' considered ineffective?

They are too specific and limit the candidate's potential to answer.

They are not focused on the candidate's past behaviour.

They are too vague and elicit rehearsed, uninformative answers. (correct)

They are too difficult for candidates to understand.

What is the primary reason for eliminating bad interview questions?

To uncover more accurate data and to improve the quality of hires. (correct)

To comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

To reduce the amount of time spent in interviews.

To make the interview process easier for candidates.

What is the main characteristic of 'bad' interview questions, as described in the text?

They elicit unpredictable responses that are difficult to analyse.

They fail to evaluate the candidate's attitude and suitability for the role. (correct)

They focus on personal opinions instead of job relevant skills.

They are overly technical and difficult to answer.

Besides being vague, what is another downside of the interview questions ‘What are your strengths?’ and ‘What are your weaknesses?’?

They are likely to elicit rehearsed answers (A) Signup and view all the answers

What should interviewers do if they are currently using ineffective questions?

Eliminate them immediately and replace them with better questions. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What makes behavioral interview questions like 'Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to a difficult situation' often ineffective?

They often lead candidates to give a 'good' but not necessarily truthful response. (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what is the key characteristic of an effective interview question?

It should help differentiate between high and low performers. (B) Signup and view all the answers

The provided content suggests an interview question is flawed if it:

Produces overly positive and unrevealing answers. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does the author mean by 'leading questions' in the context of behavioral interviews?

Questions that guide candidates to provide the desired answer. (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what is the primary purpose of an interview?

To reveal how a person will perform in the given role. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary issue with asking a candidate, 'Tell me about your teamwork skills' in an interview?

It is a leading question that signals the desired answer. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the key difference between 'problem bringers' and 'problem solvers'?

Problem solvers identify multiple solutions to problems, while problem bringers only describe the problem. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the ultimate risk of asking leading questions in interviews?

It prevents you from understanding the candidate's true nature. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why would removing the leading part from a behavioral question help identify 'problem bringers'?

Problem bringers will likely only discuss the issues, revealing their focus. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the problem with the question: 'Tell me about a conflict with a coworker and how you resolved it'?

The phrase 'how you resolved it' leads candidates to only share successful conflict resolutions. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Why does the word 'successfully' make 'Tell me about a time when you had to balance competing priorities and did so successfully' a leading question?

It guides the candidate to only share stories where they were successful. (C) Signup and view all the answers

According to Leadership IQ, what is the typical proportion of behavioral questions that are leading in most organizations?

About two-thirds. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of removing leading terms from interview questions, as described in the provided content?

It allows for a better understanding of whether they are problem solvers or problem-bringers. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason the text suggests that hypothetical interview questions are problematic?

They elicit idealized responses that don't reflect real-life actions. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Why are the 'problem-bringer' responses considered poor in the given interview scenarios?

They demonstrate an unwillingness to take responsibility and a lack of initiative. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does the example of the Kansas convenience store incident highlight about human behavior?

People's actual behavior in emergencies can be very different from their hypothetical responses to them. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of an interview question, according to the author?

To reveal the candidate's true attitude and character, not a prepared persona. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Why does the author mention smokers in relation to hypothetical questions?

To illustrate that having knowledge of what to do doesn’t necessarily mean one will do it. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the key issues with asking a question like, 'How would you deal with personality clashes among the team members?'

The question provides clear hints at what the interviewer wants the ideal answer to be. (C) Signup and view all the answers

The text suggests the problem-solver responses share what characteristics?

An admission of skill deficiencies, and willingness to collaborate and communicate. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a better alternative to a hypothetical question?

A question asking for real-life examples of past behaviors. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main disadvantage of the hypothetical questions?

They can allow candidates to assume what the interviewer wants to hear, and to create a suitable answer. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Avoid These Interview Questions

Avoid vague, rehearsed questions: Questions like "Tell me about yourself," "What are your strengths?" and "What are your weaknesses?" are ineffective. They allow for canned, unhelpful responses, making it hard to differentiate high from low performers.
Avoid leading behavioral questions: Questions like "Tell me about a time you had to adapt to a difficult situation" are leading. This leads candidates to showcase positive experiences and hide negative or less-favorable ones.
Avoid hypothetical questions: Questions like "What would you do if you saw a stranger being assaulted?" elicit idealized answers that don't reflect real-world behavior. They often highlight what a candidate thinks they should do instead of their actual capabilities.
Avoid undifferentiating questions: Questions that don't help distinguish high from low performers are useless. These include the seemingly "fun" questions (favorite pie, favorite animal, etc.), as there's no scientific basis to their usefulness in evaluating attitude. These questions can also lead to asking for private, sensitive information.

Examples of Poor Interview Questions

"Tell me about a time you had to adapt to a difficult situation."
"Tell me about a time you had to balance competing priorities and did so successfully."
"Tell me about a conflict with a coworker and how you resolved it."
"Tell me about your strengths."
"Tell me about your weaknesses."
"Tell me about yourself."
"What do you like to do for fun?"
"How are M&M's made?"
"If you could be any superhero, who would it be?"
"What was the last book you read?"
"Which one of the seven dwarves would you be?"
"If you could be any kind of tree, what kind would you be?"

Why These Questions Are Bad

These questions often elicit rehearsed answers, or answers that highlight only the positive. They don't reveal true attitudes or how a person would perform in a real-world setting. Important differences between high and low performers can often be missed.

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Description

This quiz focuses on recognizing the types of interview questions that should be avoided to ensure effective candidate evaluation. Learn about vague, leading, hypothetical, and undifferentiating questions that can muddle your hiring process. Armed with this knowledge, you'll be better prepared to conduct meaningful interviews.