Job seekers must deal with the must-have - HR structured interview analysis and question bank (13).
7. Ask small talk.
I have a friend who specializes in interviewing at a large company. Over the course of a week, he interviews dozens of candidates for different positions. The long interview experience has given him so much experience that he is able to determine whether the other person is suitable for each position in a few minutes with a few simple conversations. One morning, a young man came to his office and applied for the position of regional sales manager. My friend asked him "good morning" and he immediately started complaining about how he came in his socks when it was raining outside. So my friend politely rejected him, and I had already decided on a candidate for this position yesterday. But don't worry, if there are other similar positions, we'll definitely consider you. Thank you for coming!
The story illustrates a fact that candidates are rarely aware of: there are no questions that blurt out without the slightest intention in an interview. The interviewer should evaluate the candidate from the first time he sees him (or the first time he can**) until he is sure whether to hire him, and we can liven up the atmosphere with some light-hearted statements that will give the candidate the illusion that they will let their guard down, so as to obtain information that the other person will not tell us anyway when they are sober. Let's take a look at these questions:
Q68: "Are you in a good mood today?" It took a lot of effort for you to find our company, right?
It doesn't really matter what the candidate answers. What matters is the attitude that comes out of his answer. Is he a little impatient because our company is hard to find? Will he be able to look at everything he encounters in a positive light? "Fortunately, I didn't encounter any ** annoyance, thank you! I asked your assistant beforehand about getting here, so it didn't take much trouble. Similar positive responses are what we would like to hear. While we don't like it when our employees have a giggle on their faces all day, they must not be negative.
Q69: "What have you read lately?" ”
What kind of people read what kind of books, that's a certainty. Many interviewers think that people who like to read non-** works are generally more likely to *** the world around them, while ** enthusiasts are more inclined to escape reality. Therefore, those who are keen to read new and exciting books are not favored, while those who like to read books that are conducive to improving their knowledge and skills are often favored. Similarly, we can ask the other person questions such as "what movies have you watched recently?" and so on. In a fictional perfect world, companies and managers can judge each candidate based solely on the skills and experience necessary to perform the job. But far from the reality of the world, many managers and companies discriminate against people with disabilities, people over the age of 50, and even women who come to apply for jobs who may simply assume that they may have children at some point during the employment period. Few people are able to be absolutely objective when it comes to judging others. During the interview process, we should try to avoid asking the other party questions such as marriage, physical defects unrelated to the job, etc., which is disrespectful to the personality of the candidate. Therefore, every question the interviewer asks must be checked: "Does this relate to the candidate's current job or the job they're applying for?" ”
Q70: "How old are you?"
Age is a heavy topic for many employees. If a candidate is forty-five years old, it is natural for us to worry about their health. "As I've done more work, I've found that I'm getting more efficient. When I first walked out of the university gates, I was as energetic as a cannonball. But now I find that I can get more done in less time. This is because I already know how to find what I need quickly, and I know how to work effectively with different types of people. Similarly, we should avoid the following questions: Can you be so young and capable of doing such a big job? At your age, can you adapt to the fast-paced changes in the company?
Q71: "Are you single?" ”
Usually an interviewer's bias is not obvious, and interviewers will play a little trick to get the candidate to say the information that is not good for them. If a candidate plans to have a child within a year, some interviewers may suspect that she will shorten her job as a result. If the candidate is already engaged, some interviewers may think that he will be too busy with marriage plans to fully devote his energy to his work. And these are all reasonable reasons for interviewers to reject them. "I guess you're worried about whether I'll be able to keep working and meet my schedule. Then don't worry, because I am a very trustworthy person. In fact, in my last job, I was never late and always finished my work schedule ahead of schedule. ”
He didn't answer any questions about the child and family plans head-on, but he accurately captured the employer's concern about whether he could commit to getting the job done. Similar questions include the following:
What do you think led to your divorce?
Why have you never been married?
Do you have children?
Do you have a single parent?
What are your family obligations?
Who in your family has the final say?
What kind of work does your husband (wife) do?
How much time are you going to spend with your family?
What do you think makes a happy marriage?
Can you tell me about your child?
Do you have a good relationship with your children?
Do you have children with whom you don't live?
Do you live with your parents?
How do you arrange to take care of your children?
My wife (husband) doesn't like me working on weekends, what about you?
Does a business trip weigh on your family?
These questions, which go deep into all aspects of the other person's family life, may help you better understand the candidate's views on family issues.
Q72: "What kind of religion do you follow?" ”
If we force a candidate to state which denomination he belongs to, he has the right to say, "I tend to keep my religion separate from my job, and I respect the right of my colleagues to follow different religions." ”
If we follow up with similar questions, the candidate may begin to reconsider whether he would like to work for such an ignorant and insensitive boss.
Q73: "Do you have a physical problem?"
As interviewers, we can only ask questions of candidates about physical or mental impairments that can directly affect the execution of the job, with the exception of general physical conditions. However, when a candidate is offered a job, he or she must undergo a medical examination. The results of the inspection are relevant to certain aspects of the job, and the employer has the authority to reconsider the results accordingly. But during the interview, we are not allowed to ask the following questions:
Do you have a mental problem?
Are you an alcoholic or drug addict?
Are you good hearing?
Are you in good health?
When was the last time you were hospitalized?
Do you see your doctor regularly?
Q74: "Are you a member of any organization?" ”
Similar to the above limitations, as interviewers, we can only ask about the candidate's position and other aspects that are important to the current job.
Q75 "Have you ever been bankrupt?" ”
Prospective employers can only ask about the candidate's current earnings. Candidates' assets, liabilities, and credit classifications are excluded. This also includes information that you can't ask if the person has a house of their own, and if they have ever gone bankrupt or paid off their debts. The following similar questions should also be avoided:
Is the house you live in your own or rented?
Do you have any extra income?
Do you make money through hobbies or investments?