You want an interviewer to know that you can ask a direct question, that you don’t beat around the bush. You want to show that you know how to take feedback. And you really want an opportunity to address any soft spots that an interviewer sees in you as a candidate. Asking this question gets at all 3 of these things. Also, you get to evaluate how your potential new boss handles a head-on question and how she is able to give feedback. Continue reading Is there anything I can help clarify that would make hiring me an easy decision?
What accomplishment, project, or work outcome are you most proud of and why?
This will give you a sense of the kind of work this candidate has done, for sure (scope, in what area, with what kind of team). But the real value in asking is to see how much detail you can get out of a person when it comes to the “why”. If she stops at “because I had to be very organized” or “because the team worked well together” then she may not have been the instigator – the person really making things happen. But if she can get very detailed – “Because I recognized the project was more complicated than I was used to so I found and learned how to use Trello” or “because I noticed my colleagues Jim and Jack were not working well together so I put Jim in charge of X and had Jack work with Jill on Y” then that’s when you know you’ve found someone who makes things happen. Continue reading What accomplishment, project, or work outcome are you most proud of and why?
What is the most memorable advice you’ve ever received (good or bad)?
This is a fun one. You start talking about interesting life moments when advice usually comes and you learn about the mentors in people’s lives (grandparents, parents, coaches…) as well as the “mentors” (crazy uncles, misguided friends, awful magazine articles…) Continue reading What is the most memorable advice you’ve ever received (good or bad)?
In this situation, what am I actually afraid of?
So much of the time, fear keeps us from doing what we really want to do or saying what we really want to say. But fear is most powerful only when it remains undefined. A vague feeling of fear feels massive and immobilizing. But if you pinpoint EXACTLY what you are actually afraid of, just that act alone will make most of the fear go away. But you have to get VERY specific about it. If you think about leaving your unsatisfying job and it fills you with anxiousness, that level of fear left unexamined could be insurmountable. But if you get ULTRA specific, you can start to dismantle it. “I’m afraid I’ll be even less happy in a new work situation. I’m afraid my father-in-law will think I’m directionless. I’m afraid I could make less money than I do now.” From this starting point, now you can manage. If I make a move and I’m less happy, I could probably get back to a job similar to the one I have now. Why do I even care so much about what my in-laws think? Can I have a conversation about this with my spouse? If I made less money, I could easily make up for it by just eating out less. Is my work happiness worth 2 less restaurant meals a week? Continue reading In this situation, what am I actually afraid of?
What did you love to do as a kid, before high school?
Get to know the person your parent was before kids entered the picture. It can help you make sense of his/her tendencies now. Continue reading What did you love to do as a kid, before high school?
We’re having guests stay with us from out of town. What do you think we should show them?
Asking your teenager for “advice” (no matter how small the issue) can lead to a conversation that will leave you both feeling valued. Your teenager will welcome the role-reversal and you’ll actually get to talk to him. He’ll probably have opinions about what’s fun/impressive to share with guests. Continue reading We’re having guests stay with us from out of town. What do you think we should show them?
What word did your teacher say the most today?
It’s a very specific question and it can’t be answered with a yes/no. Your little one will have to reflect a bit on the day and his/her answer will open up lots of possible follow up questions. “Cool. What does that word mean? Why did the class talk about that word so much?” Continue reading What word did your teacher say the most today?
What can I do to help you right now?
Here’s another question from Glennon Doyle Melton. She gives great alternatives to “How was your day?” that work beautifully with your significant other. At the end of a tough day, this question gets you moving in a productive direction immediately. Continue reading What can I do to help you right now?
How would you like to receive feedback from me?
Understanding exactly how (and when) your boss prefers to get your input will make it drastically more likely that your voice will be heard on the team and in the company. It’s best to ask this question in your first week or two on the job. Continue reading How would you like to receive feedback from me?
What helps you stay positive?
I’m always looking to steal ideas for how people stay motivated, positive, and moving forward. And when you ask this question of your people, not only do you get some good ideas to try out but you also get to know how your friends cope with stress and setbacks. Continue reading What helps you stay positive?
So what are you working on?
On them interwebs you certainly can find a number of people who HATE the question “What do you do?” (Like this guy with his overly dramatic but still productive essay.)
Try out this alternative instead. It will make networking more fun for everyone. Continue reading So what are you working on?
What is the strangest thing you believed when we were growing up?
Almost nobody else in your life will ever share as many formative experiences with you as your sibling(s). And yet despite the shared history, it’s pretty funny to see how we all inhabit our own little worlds. This question gets at that. Continue reading What is the strangest thing you believed when we were growing up?
What’s your full name? And can you remind me if you’re named after anyone else in our family?
I can’t with 100% certainty tell you the full names of my two living grandparents. That’s no good at all… But maybe I’m not alone in that. This is a great question that will take you on a short journey up your family tree. Continue reading What’s your full name? And can you remind me if you’re named after anyone else in our family?
If you could make your pointer finger taste like anything at all times, what would you make it taste like?
Potentially kinda risqué but it’s a fun question. Just don’t be a creep about it. You’re better than that. Continue reading If you could make your pointer finger taste like anything at all times, what would you make it taste like?
If you could restore one broken relationship, which would it be?
When you ask yourself this question, don’t think about how it would happen or what would need to occur for everyone to “be even.” Just imagine that with a wave of the wand, one broken relationship in your life could be the way it used to be (or even better than it used to be). Which person in your life do you want that with?
Nurturing the world back to health can ONLY start with nurturing the relationships immediately closest to us in our own lives. Continue reading If you could restore one broken relationship, which would it be?
What is the least safe thing you’d want to do in your role?
It’s a bit of a nebulous question but let your team or employees run with it and you’re likely to hear two vital things: 1) Their most creative ideas and 2) The ways that your company culture is affecting risk-taking (even GOOD forms of risk-taking). Continue reading What is the least safe thing you’d want to do in your role?
What are the assumptions being made in the success case of our product?
If you’re AirBnB in the earliest days, you are assuming that people will be willing to allow strangers into their homes. If you’re Uber you are assuming that ride-sharing will be legal in the future.
If you’re Way Better Questions, you’re assuming that people will care enough to rate and review questions the way they review products online.
Get at your core assumptions. Once you uncover them you are half way to designing a lightweight way to TEST those assumptions. Continue reading What are the assumptions being made in the success case of our product?
Think about your favorite work and your creative heroes. What did they miss? What didn’t they make?
What could’ve been made better? If they were still alive, what would they be making today?
Asking these questions will help you push further in an area you already love. If you’re stuck for a next project idea, why not team up (if only in spirit) with the people who have created the work you respect most? Continue reading Think about your favorite work and your creative heroes. What did they miss? What didn’t they make?
What would you have to see happen in the first 30 days for you to think, “Wow – this person is crushing it.”?
This question shows that you are eager to deliver, that you are concerned with the team’s performance, and that you are a detailed and pragmatic thinker. Continue reading What would you have to see happen in the first 30 days for you to think, “Wow – this person is crushing it.”?
What are you better at than 90% of the people you know?
Get to the heart of someone’s strengths with this question. And as an added bonus, how a job candidate answers it (hesitantly vs. directly) will also tell you a lot about their self-confidence and self-awareness. Continue reading What are you better at than 90% of the people you know?