Difficult questions for shortlisted job candidates

We have two candidates vying for the post of vice president. The chief executive officer (CEO) told me that the difference between the two is almost zero. Instead of tossing a coin, the CEO asked me to formulate at least 30 difficult questions to help break the tie. Could you help me with the list? — Orange Juice.

It’s unusual for job applicants to tie in an evaluation process. Take a second look at their respective qualifications and you will likely see that one has an advantage over the other. Decide based on what’s important to your CEO. Is it education? Length and depth of experience? Age? What else?

How about gender, which could cause you legal issues if you express a preference in your job ad? About 28 years ago. I was one of the two shortlisted candidates for the post of vice president for human resources at a Japanese multinational.

I was confident at the time because I speak a little Japanese and knows the culture. Two years earlier, I completed a year-long management fellowship sponsored by the Nikkeiren International Cooperation Center in Tokyo. I met a panel of interviewers composed of five or six department managers, including a female manager and the Japanese CEO who asked me a lot of difficult questions.

They included this question: “There are only two candidates now. The other one is a female applicant. If you’re in our position, which one would you choose?” Gender equality was not yet a top-of-mind issue at the time, at least not among Japanese businesses. Even today, the Japanese are notorious for paying female executives less compared with their male counterparts.

I remember giving them my answer favoring a male candidate that unmasked me as a chauvinist. After a couple of questions, the panel interview was completed. Result? I failed to get the job. The reason? I don’t know. What I know was the woman who got the job resigned in less than two years.

DIFFICULT QUESTIONS
It’s easy to list many difficult interview questions. The critical part is tweaking these questions to match the job requirements. The desired outcome is finding a candidate that matches the job description, can meet the performance standards, who is up to the job’s unique challenges.

Obviously, you don’t have to repeat the questions you raised early in the interview process. Instead, explore the most difficult, open-ended questions, which you must systematically arrange according to the job requirements you consider most important. At any rate, it wouldn’t hurt if your selection process surfaces the following qualities to determine whether the candidate has what you’re looking for:

One, leadership. What’s the most difficult issue you have faced in your current job? What was your relationship with your CEO like? How did you manage it? What is the number one reason for your success? How do you create a situation that produces effective teamwork? Describe an unpopular decision you have had to make at work. How did you resolve any issues that emerged?

Two, management style. Describe any lessons you have taken to heart from a management guru. What level of control do you prefer in managing your direct reports? What special trait defines your management effectiveness? In what ways have the management practices of your boss interfere with your job? How would you handle a subordinate who contradicts your instructions?

Three, two-way communication. Give specific examples of communication issue you’ve experienced. How often do you communicate with your direct reports? Discuss a situation that required excellent communication skills. How would you choose between communicating via a face-to-face meeting or by e-mail? Who is more important — the employee or the customer? How would you deal with an employee who thinks he’s always right?

Four, decision-making. What’s the most difficult decision you’ve made? When you make a wrong decision, how do you rectify it? What kind of decisions are difficult for you? Tell me about a complex issue that you’re had to manage. Describe a situation when you failed to accomplish a task because of procrastination. What tool do you fall back on to make effective decisions?

Five, performance management. How would you handle performance evaluation of your direct reports? How would you go about hiring a subordinate? How would you improve the hiring process to ensure the best candidate is selected? What’s the most common reason you’ve encountered for terminating an employee? How would you handle a problem worker?

In conclusion, think of how you will close the final interview. In fairness to all applicants, allow them to ask questions and be ready when they ask about things like the reason for this vacancy, why you are hiring from outside and not elevating an internal candidate. Are there issues with your succession plan?

Join Rey Elbo’s Japan Study Tour on the Toyota Production System (TPS). Visit Toyota City on Oct. 15-21, 2023 and learn firsthand many lessons that you can’t get from books or other sources. For details, chat with him via Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter) or e-mail elbonomics@gmail.com or via https://reyelbo.com