One Powerful Word
A client of mine recently lamented that he was having trouble finding new employees who had the right stuff for his events company. He was seeking people who were detail-oriented but when he interviewed candidates and inquired about their propensity for details their answers were always the same: yes, I'm detail-oriented. However, this wasn’t always the case once the team member was onboard, each had varying levels of attention to detail. So he was perplexed: how to uncover if someone is truly detail-oriented?
This is a common challenge for owners and managers. How to discover if what a candidate says in an interview and puts in their resume is actually true? The obvious choice is to ask a question point blank, to be direct about the desired trait or skill in question. However, when one asks a direct question such as “do you consider yourself a detail-oriented person?” the only possible answers are “yes” and “no.” Few people will answer no in this situation which means that sometimes the “yes” is accurate and sometimes it is misleading. Yes/no questions don’t allow for nuance, which is important for your candidate to demonstrate and for you to understand.
I advised my client to add one important word to his interviewing strategy: “how.” “How” is a process question. When you ask someone how they do something you’re asking for them to share the steps they take, the actions they employ, and the prep they utilize in getting a particular task accomplished. In this case I encouraged my client to ask these two types of questions both using one powerful word:
Past Processes: in order to discover how they approached an actual situation from their real work history pose a “how” question based on a listing in their resume. “How did you approach (xyz listed on their resume)?” The way they answer will show you how detail-oriented they were and the steps they took as they approached various situations in the past. This will illuminate how they tackle problems and what they utilize to make things work.
Future Processes: in order to discover if they have the stuff needed to work at your company (a future possibility) I recommend presenting a real-life scenario from your work life. Present a challenging situation that has come up before, and ask them how they would go about solving it. “Something that has come up before is xyz challenge, how would you find a solution?” This question puts your candidate in the position of utilizing what he or she already knows and applying it to a future scenario. Their enthusiasm as they approach the problem is just as helpful as the answer and specifics they provide. Those who rise to the challenge are demonstrating their interest in confronting problems and utilizing creative thinking, both useful traits. And, if you like the steps they would take toward a realistic solution, even if it isn’t exactly right, they may be showing you just how thoughtful and detail oriented they are.
Now, remember, some people may try to squirm out of the question. So encourage them with “give it a shot” or “see what you can come up with” to encourage them to share with you. The candidate who says nothing is actually telling you the most; that they are either unwilling or unable to converse, share, or think through challenges. Asking “how” is a game-changer…for you and for your potential new employee. You get to see how they think and process real-life situations and they get the chance to see what they might have to face while on your team.
