The most revealing interview questions

People come and go. While older employees are easier to work with, you can't stop them from filing a resignation, and so you need to be on a constant search for new people to take their places. It is your number one priority as manager to attract fresh new talent.

But the only way to find great talent is if you know how where to find them and know how to study them up close. Any corporate person will tell you that the job interview is the only time the employer gets a real chance to look for the qualities he is seeking in an applicant, and it is the applicant's only chance to prove that he's got it. This might not ring in true at first, but leadership training makes you a lot better at scoping fresh talent than a manager who's got a degree but no attendances to leadership training seminars whatsoever.

Technicality aside, here are five most telling questions a manager, like you, can ask an applicant during the first job interview.

 

1.Tell me about yourself. This is not a question. So okay. But almost everybody hears this one. This not only leaves the unprepared interviewee struggling for the appropriate thing to say, it also gives the unprepared interviewer a chance to prepare himself, or herself.

2.What do you know about your organization? Make sure you did some research before coming to the interview, or else this question will leave your twitching your fingers and sweating profusely.

3.What can you do for us that someone else can't? This question basically gives you the right to enumerate your strengths, no weaknesses, and be a bit egotistical about it. Use your rights.

4.How long will it take you to make a significant contribution to our firm? Be truthful. While you can say you'll try your hardest to make a good impression right from the first day, don't be afraid to tell them it could take you months or even a full year to get to know the firm to the extent that you can make meaningful contributions to it.

5.Why should we hire you? Highlight your strengths as much as your can, and pray that they like your answer.


A leader of people is also very much a reader of people

During leadership training, future leaders are taught the ability to read people through their eye movement and hand gestures. So a good leader is also a very good reader of people. You shouldn't expect to lead a group of people if you can't establish a meaningful bond with them.

Notice a trend with the questions above? All these questions are non-technical, questions that can't be answered by looking at the company newsletter or the applicant's resume. These questions stretches and challenges the applicant's ability to make up his or her own answers on the spot, and to revise the answers in his or her head so it comes out of the lips in the most appropriate tone. All of these are taught during leadership training; after all it's you who decides who gets to be a part of the team.

Remember that good hardworking employees are the backbone of any organization. It is your responsibility as leader to filter out the precious stones from the rest of the pile, which is only possible if you had your fair share of leadership training.

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