Saturday, July 19, 2014

Unconventional Interview


If we didn't have to worry about employment law and had no qualms about causing the HR people to seek solace in the nearest bar, we might break out of structured interviews and use a free-wheeling manner that could cut through the neat little answers memorized in employment workshops by asking about favorite dogs, cars, escapes, food, clothing, and which car they'd buy if they had unlimited funds and whether they could persuade you to buy a condo in a swamp. It would be interesting to know the classes they hated in high school and what they felt about people in the band and if they really like cocktail parties and regard rap music as music and can name three magazines they really like and what is their favorite trashy movie and Shakespeare play and their opinion of Mel Gibson and Mardi Gras and the ending of "The Sopranos" and how clean is their car, like right now, and have they ever read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas or heard of Alger Hiss, Gilbert & Sullivan, and The White Album or fired a shotgun or had a fight or been lost in the woods.

And others to that effect.

Now what would you like to ask?

6 comments:

Kurt Harden said...

Aristotle or Plato?

Michael Wade said...

Kurt,

Great question!

Michael

Crusty Old HR Manager said...

"Tell me about the last person you encountered that needed help. Tell me about your thought process as you decided to help or not to help the person."

Michael Wade said...

Crusty,

I really like that!

Michael

CincyCat said...

My favorite question to ask is, "Describe a decision you made that was unpopular or creative/risky and how you handled objections to it."

Michael Wade said...

CincyCat,

Very nice. You can learn a lot with that one.

My favorite question is for sales reps and it is more of a request: "Sell me this pen."

Michael