Some Questions Successful People Ask Job Seekers

Innovative companies with brilliant leaders have one key trait in common; they know how to assemble great teams. Too often, employers drive away promising job seekers with a senseless or poorly organized hiring process that prevents both parties from making any valuable observations. Recruitment teams that are struggling to find job seekers who match their company culture and goals can make better hiring decisions with these smart interview questions from successful business leaders.

1. What Did You Do On Your Best Day of Work?

Miranda Kalinowski, global head of recruiting for Facebook, asks this question to find out if a candidate's interests and personal values align with the company. Genuine passion comes through in job seekers' speech and mannerisms when they talk about what they love. By asking potential hires to describe a perfect workday— real or imagined — hiring managers can find out whether they're motivated by challenges or triumphs, teamwork or independence, rewards or professional development.

2. What Would An Enemy Say About You?

Job seekers are wired to promote their best qualities and disguise strengths as flaws when answering the classic "greatest weakness" question. General Stanley McChrystal of the McChrystal Group gets around this practice by prompting candidates to view themselves from the perspectives of their harshest critics. Answering without thinking or choosing a mild response are typical signs of dishonesty. To McChrystal, the important thing is how the candidate delivers an answer. Thinking deeply about personal flaws and sharing them with someone in a position of power takes bravery, introspectiveness and strength of character — qualities most employers want in new hires.

3. Describe How You Improved Another Person's Career

Strong teams need people who look out for each other, which is why Jay Parikh, global head of engineering and infrastructure for Facebook, screens for self-serving and self-defeating behavior. Job seekers who can't think of any way they have served the interests of a colleague or team may have a history of putting themselves before others or complaining about everything. In fact, Parikh requests four examples, challenging candidates to show how they adapt to a variety of team environments, build relationships and prioritize shared goals over individual gain.

4. What Didn't You Include On Your Resume?

Successful leaders don't waste one-on-one time talking about information they can find in a resume. Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, encourages job seekers to share meaningful accomplishments or interests they couldn't fit into a CV. This open-ended interview question offers a glimpse of what's important to candidates, and they may end up discussing skills or goals that tie into the company's future objectives.

5. Describe a Time When You Failed

Jenny Ming, president and CEO of Charlotte Russe, looks for productive, confident risk-takers by getting job seekers to talk about a sensitive topic. Most people are wary of pointing out their mistakes, but Ming values employees who gain insight from their failures and take action to overcome them. Candidates who understand that failing and learning are a natural part of trying something new are more likely to take creative risks and be innovative on the job.

Holding a purposeful conversation can help hiring managers envision a candidate's potential value to the company. The key is to ask questions that cleverly disarm job seekers, forcing them to show authenticity.

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