Ask 2 questions to uncover hidden gems in your candidate pool
All it takes is a couple of extra minutes. I can think of so many examples throughout my career where a resume that was initially rejected to move forward got another look, and the person turned out to be not just a good candidate but an outstanding performer. How can you make a practice out of finding these hidden gems within the stacks of resumes? Here are two questions to ask to avoid making assumptions that push the candidate out of consideration.
Ask: “Why are you interested in speaking to me about X position today?”
This basic question tells you about the candidate’s motivation — why they applied and what they are looking for in their next role. It also allows the candidate to get comfortable and lean into the conversation.
Asking about their interest helps to eliminate assumptions like:
They are overqualified and won’t want to do this role. If you ask them, they may tell you that they’re looking for a way to take a step back or searching for a role that they feel confident doing.
They won’t want my job. Talk to them about it. After all, they applied, which is a strong signal they DO want the role!
They will need more/ less training than I can provide. Find out.
Ask: How have you progressed in your career? Why have you made the choices you have?
By asking the candidate to tell you their career story, you’ll learn how they view their career, why they left past jobs, and how they organize their journey.
Including this in the conversation will eliminate assumptions about their past experiences like:
They don’t stay in their jobs very long; therefore, they won’t stay in mine. Understanding why they have made job changes enables you to assess if you can offer them the things they’re seeking.
Their prior job isn’t as big as mine. You might be surprised how another organization titles a job — and how much a smaller organization can teach an employee.
Ask these two simple questions and move beyond the resume to understand the candidate behind it. In other words, allow your candidates to tell their story and take the assumptions out of it. I promise you’ll be surprised at the hidden gems you uncover.
Bonus tip: If you don’t have the capacity to ask these questions to many candidates, consider using video interviews that enable candidates to share the information.