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Writer's pictureJ.Yuhas

Ten Psychological Questions Employers Need To Ask Before Hiring




Is your company looking to expand?


While you want employees who check off the typical list of qualifications and experience to do the job, you may also want to consider their personality traits? How they will influence your company’s growth and other team members within the workplace culture.


A person who meets the requirements on paper can still be an unfit candidate to the organization if they suffer from entitlement, aggressive and demanding communication, belittling their peers, and solely focus on their own growth versus the company’s mission. These types of employees can wreak havoc on the infrastructure of the company and it will become a toxic culture.


Ten questions should you be asking during the interview process that will weed out unfit candidates:


1. How Do You Respond When Someone Interrupts You?

Emotional state management is key to managing oneself appropriately when facing adverse situations. If someone is unable to regulate their emotions, this can bleed into the workplace culture and cause unwarranted stress onto other employees. Management of emotions is essential in problem-solving, professional conduct, and relationship management with clients and colleagues alike.


2. What Do You Aspire To Learn This Year?

The reason you want to ask this question is to determine if the candidate has a growth or fixed mindset. An individual who is comfortable and complacent going through the daily motions of life with their job is typically not inspired to keep evolving. This also reflects on their performance and whether they are okay checking off boxes or looking to contribute to the growth of the company. Having a growth mindset means striving towards continuous growth personally and professionally.


3. If You Disagree With Someone How Do You Manage It?

This question helps you clarify how this potential candidate manages conflict or whether they believe their role contributes to the organization’s mission. Critical thinking skills along with the ability to find effective resolutions to problems are essential in being a greater leader.


4. Tell Me How You Have Used Creativity To Solve A Problem?

With this question, you are looking for out-of-the-box thinking. Let’s face it, the workplace will always have its set of challenges and you want employees who influence the resolution of these problems. If you hired everyone who thought like you, then at some point your company may suffer from reaching its full potential. Companies that thrive hire unique thinkers.


5. What Are Three Traits You Value About A Company?

Knowing your company’s values, like Integrity or teamwork, can help you clarify if your candidate is the best fit for the company. Value creates alignment within the organization and improves strategy towards a greater mission. If the individual’s values appear to be disconnected from your company, then they may or may not be the best employee to hire.


6. How Do You Incorporate Time Management Into Your Daily Schedule?

Time management is essential in meeting project deadlines and knowing if your employees can fulfill their duties. Those who struggle with keeping a calendar typically find themselves overwhelmed easily and struggle to uphold their duties. Having the ability to self-manage is essential to the integrity of their role.


7. How You Would Describe Your Co-Workers At Your Last Job?

The entitled or fixed mindset personality typically struggles to compliment their colleagues. They are often filled with envy or resentment if they aren’t given an abundance of recognition or admiration. Rarely will this type of individual share they have worked collectively on teams towards a common goal. They believe they deserve all the credit.


8. If Someone Says You’ve Made A Mistake How Do You Respond?

An insecure personality type can’t usually handle being told they made a mistake. They often respond with aggression and become highly emotionally reactive to colleagues. Confident employees will reflect and see how they can fix the mistake so they don’t repeat it again.


9. Do You Work Better Alone Or Within A Team Structure?

While some highly successful individuals prefer to work alone it is important they can still actively engage when it comes to team projects or contributions. Being a team player means they have the ability to see outside of themselves and are willing to put their desire aside if it means a greater outcome for the company’s goal.


10. What Are Your Successes And What Drives You To Succeed?

With this question, you will want to fully understand what drives them versus the successes they have achieved. While their success is relevant on paper, it doesn’t tap into what motivates their daily work ethic. Understanding if they are driven by financial gain, recognition, inner peace, helping others, etc can truly help you understand how they will enhance your company.


If you need further information or assistance on what makes a great team, please feel free to schedule a consult here.


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