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n What kind of personality should a fellow team member have?
n Which is more important, teamwork or individual skill?

– Why?
n What is more important, nerve or brain?

– Why?
n What training should a candidate have already had to hit the

ground running?
– Why?
n If you were interviewing me for this job what would you ask me?
– What answers would get me the job?
– Why?

General guidelines for interviewing

n Stick to meaningful questions related to the job function and
career prospects.

n Avoid irrelevant or impertinent questions.
n Experts on writing cv’s and resumés usually advise “keep it brief”,

so probe those areas of the candidate’s cv that are important to the
job function.
n Ask questions that may reveal a person’s ethics, but try to avoid
the well-worn, artificial questions to which any given answer is
wrong. “Have you stopped beating your wife?” – tells you nothing
in the real world.
n Take notes after explaining to the candidate why it is important
that you have an accurate record of your discussion.
n Ask all candidates the same questions as far as possible so that you
are comparing apples with apples.
n Use open, but safe questions to have the candidate talk about what
they think and feel.
n Encourage openness with nods and signs of real interest.
n Thank the candidate occasionally for providing the information.
n Probe with more closed questions.
n Put an end to waffling with straight “yes/no” questions if
necessary.
n Probe answers with “describe how?” questions.
n Make sure that all the candidate’s questions are answered to their
satisfaction.

46 Key management questions