Interview Tropes & Questions to Retire
Improving Candidate Experience During the Hiring Process
“What is your biggest weakness?”
BYE. Are people still asking this question?
The interview stage is likely the most crucial step of the hiring process where the potential employer and prospective employee vet one another and determine if it is a good fit. For both parties!
One more time: we are interviewing each other. Although employers often act as if it’s a one-way street and they are in control, they need valuable employees to keep the business running and thriving, so let’s remind ourselves that it’s a two-way street.
With that said, certain interview tropes and questions need to be retired. The questions that curdle job seekers’ stomachs and often come off as red flags or hints that this is not a place or a manager they want to work for.
These may cause someone to pass, saying “No, thank you” because they can do better and the company loses a potentially valuable employee.
Questions & Topics
Some of these are stale, don’t provide any value, or are flat-out inappropriate. Let’s see which ones we need to alter or remove.
“What are your biggest weaknesses?”
As referenced above, can we not? Remove this one altogether. If anything, ask what skills they would like to work on.
“Why was there a gap in your employment?”
Errrrrr! Absolutely not. Mind your damn biz. This can be handled so much better like “Tell me about your time during [insert time period]” or not acknowledging it at all. As we’ve learned, there are many sensitive scenarios or reasons for work breaks — caring for a sick family member, mental health, enjoying life, maybe they were trying to find work but came up empty-handed. Whichever way, they are here now and want to re-enter the workforce.
“Tell me about a bad boss you’ve had.”
The reasoning behind the topic is valuable but let’s flip it and ask what they are looking for in a supervisor. This provides space for the candidate to share what sets them up for success and what they appreciate in a leader.
“What is your desired salary?”
Enough. The budgeted range should be communicated upfront rather than expecting the candidate to pick an arbitrary number. Stop trying to lowball candidates and/or boxing out potential employees if they go too high. Provide the range and confirm you both are satisfied with that window.
“What’s your current salary?”
Nope! Current salary should have no bearing on what the interviewee will make. Period. Next!
“Are you planning on having children?”
Way too personal! This is unacceptable and inappropriate. I’ve witnessed peers and co-workers enter this line of questioning, clueless as to why my eyes are popping out of my head. This should never be a consideration for employment.
“Why should we hire you?”
Huh? I hate this one so much. It’s so vague and forces the candidate to summarize their entire work value in one answer. Be more specific.
“Why do you want to work for us?”
“Because I want income?!” This is essentially a trick to make sure they researched the company and are willing to say something nice about it. Stick to the position at hand, and find out what drew them to it instead.
“Are you a team player?”
No one in their right mind will answer this “No.” What about exploring their opinion on what makes a great team player? Just tweak this one to leave room for explanation.
“Why are you the right fit to succeed in this role?”
Because their qualifications match what you are looking for? How would they know? They haven’t performed this exact job at this company before. If they aren’t fit to succeed in this role, why are they here?
“Describe your dream job.”
It’s to not have a job and be a trust-fund baby…or live in a society where your value and worth are not directly tied to what you can produce as a worker. Our dream job should be to help others where we can and enjoy the short time we have on Earth but unfortunately, we are a part of a society that forces everyone to work to live. Long story long, get rid of this one. No one’s dream should be to work.
“What can we expect from you in your first three months?”
This should be reversed. “Employer, what can I expect from you in the first three months and how will you help to set me up for success?”
“What are green flags in a job?”
Now we’re talking! Love, love, love this question. It’s optimistic and upbeat, allowing the candidate to share their POV of a positive work situation.
Format
At which point does the vetting process jump the shark? I’ll tell you below!
A full unpaid assignment.
We aren’t working for free here. I understand the need for a sample to understand what the prospective employee can offer but let’s err on the side of less is more. The sample should not take more than a couple of hours and they should be among the final candidates considered.
Irrelevant tests.
If it truly tells you something about the individual and you learn something from it, fine. But if it’s just to check the box of aptitude, time to remove this unnecessary step.
More than 3 interviews.
I recommended a friend for a position at a former employer and I was horrified to learn they had her complete five interviews before making an offer. By the time she made it through the exhaustive process, she received a better offer elsewhere. The hiring manager was confused and wanted me to answer why my friend didn’t take the job. If you don’t already know then you won’t be able to get it.
You don’t need to invite every single person they may cross paths with.
Invite only the core folks that have a stake, everyone else can meet the hired person.
The candidate should understand the entire process from the first conversation.
Make it clear what the interview process entails, how many steps, what types of interviews and with who, and the projected timeline. This allows the candidate to be prepared and successfully participate in the process. Don’t forget, this is a two-way street.
The interview process is stressful enough, for both parties. If we strip away the awkwardness, inappropriate topics, show both sides respect, and keep it simple, it benefits all involved. And most of these tweaks are easy, so why not give it a try?
Good luck out there!