Hiring & Firing - Hiring
Hiring Stress Questions

Hiring Stress Questions

What were your failures in your last job?

Sample Answer: My boss wouldn't accept the reality that our time to market was too long, and we lost our competitive advantage to a number of alternatives. We never achieved our market share objectives. As a result, over 60 percent of our department was laid off.

Advice: Can the candidate realistically assess what went wrong in his or her last position? Could he or she have done something about it? If so, what could have been done differently? Were there external factors that caused the failure? How does he or she deal with failure? You want to make sure the candidate has worked through all problems associated with any letdowns before joining your company.

What do you think led to your company's downsizing?

Sample Answer: I could see our quality slipping over the past year. Our defects rose 2 percent. I was disappointed that my colleagues didn't take this seriously. During this period I intensified my efforts to reduce our department rejections to less than 1 percent.

Advice: You want to see if the candidate can honestly assess why the company decided to let him or her go. Was the problem fierce competitive pressure, internal politicking, or a bloated cost structure? The candidate should give a simple, straightforward answer that is basically unemotional and deals only with facts. Anything more indicates that the candidate may harbor resentment for individuals or the company as a whole, and you don't want to employ someone who is carrying that type of baggage.

When you look back on your past job, do you see anything you would have done differently to avoid the possibility of an ultimate termination?

Sample Answer: The lesson I learned was never, never to sign off on a contract unless I personally double-checked all of the work of my staff. I thought I had competent employees whom I could depend upon; obviously, that was not the case. I believe I'm much better equipped today to assume project management responsibility.

Advice: You want to see if the candidate can focus on possible weaknesses or situations in which he or she did not use the best judgment. How did the candidate grow and become a stronger individual through this experience? Will the candidate be more valuable to you as a result of this experience? You want to see some initiative on the applicant's part to make the best of a tough situation. Did he or she take a proactive stance and attempt to improve performance and productivity?

What do seek in your next job that was missing from your last one?

Sample Answer: I hope my next job will include the rigor and leading-edge technology of my past job in the defense industry without the uncertainty of government contracts and congressional appropriations. I believe I'm qualified for the high-tech consumer industry because of my several years of varied technical projects. I also am excited about the future potential of consumer electronics.

Advice: What new responsibilities or input would the candidate like to have in his or her next position? Look for the candidate to describe specific skills, duties, or tasks that he or she would like to incorporate as part of a daily routine in this job. If the candidate describes responsibilities that seem mundane or repetitive, you should be concerned that he or she is not looking for new challenges or to acquire significant skills as part of his or her career development.

I notice from your resume that you've been out of work for several months. Why is it taking you so long to find a job, and what have you been doing?

Sample Answer: My first reaction upon learning of the shutdown was to get another job, but it took me a while to realize that my entire industry was downsizing and that the opportunities within the industry were extremely limited. I now realize the unlimited opportunities in the wireless business for someone with my background, and I've completely redirected my search in the last month.

Advice: Does the candidate have a focus and a purpose that make sense given his or her background and experience? Was the candidate previously in an industry that is in a spiraling decline? You want to hear positive, enthusiastic responses and specific reasons why the candidate wants to work for your company and in your industry. Is the candidate realistic about what he or she can bring to your company, and likely to be an immediate contributor if offered the job tomorrow?

Why were you fired?

Sample Answer: Despite a strong showing early in the year, I missed my sales quotas for the last two months. I spent too much time trying to land a big account instead of paying attention to the company's monthly and quarterly results.

Advice: Look for an honest, direct response, and watch to see if the candidate looks straight at you or away, trying to duck the question. How did he or she react to being fired? What led to the firing? How has the candidate adjusted emotionally and psychologically to being let go from the company?

Were you given a verbal warning before being fired?

Sample Answer: Yes, I was. Although I worked hard in the position, the product turned out to be very different from anything else I had previously worked on. I think my past successes blinded me to the differences in the new product line. I think I'm a much more seasoned manager now.

Advice: Ask the candidate to give you details about what led to his or her firing. Were there any warnings? If so, how many, and what kind? Were there any signs in performance reviews that should have tipped off the candidate that he or she was in trouble? Make sure you get as many details as possible to assess clearly if the candidate knew what was happening and has resolved any residual feelings about being fired.

What were the limitations in your past job, and what do you seek in a new one?

Sample Answer: My last position with a defense contractor was based strictly on federal budget allocations. I want my next job to be based upon my own creativity and ability to help a business grow. Most of my skills from my old job apply to this job.

Advice: If the candidate had the opportunity to rewrite his or her job description, what would be the top three duties or responsibilities on the list? Make sure the candidate does not dwell on aspects of his or her previous position that might be encountered in your opening. The candidate instead should reveal challenges and opportunities he or she expects to face in your opening, and also expanded duties and responsibilities over the long term. hile some companies like to ask questions like these to a broad range of applicants, we suggest you use them sparingly, if at all. Stress questions can steer a strong candidate toward a competing job opening-or they might create a more negative, less trusting environment if the candidate is eventually hired for the position. The only situations you may want to use stress questions in are when interviewing for unusually stressful, more senior positions-for example, if you are hiring a manager to turn around a troubled product line.

How many piano tuners are there in the greater Chicago area?

Sample Answer: To answer that question, I would first have to estimate the population of greater Chicago at, let's say, six million, and assume that one in thirty houses has a piano. That gives you 200,000 pianos. I would then guess that the average piano is tuned every other year and that a piano tuner can complete an average of four jobs per day with 250 workdays per year. So I would estimate 100 piano tuners.

Advice: The answer to this question is not particularly important; you should be interested only in the process the candidate goes through to arrive at an answer, the way the answer is presented, and the soundness of the logic. If you are hiring for a sales or other high-pressure position, this question can be effective for determining how well the candidate can think on his or her feet and how well he or she can articulate thoughts in a stressful situation. Be careful about how you use this type of stress question, however, as some candidates may resent your asking it or question whether it is relevant to the job opening.

Your major client has an urgent need for you to be in Seattle tomorrow for a board meeting. That is also the day of your daughter's big dance recital. You promised her you would attend. How do you handle this situation?

Sample Answer: I would call my client to see if there is any possible way the meeting can be delayed one day or if I could arrive late (or appear early to leave early). I would see what flexibility the dance instructor has to reschedule my daughter's performance. As a final compromise, I would consider hiring a service to videotape my daughter's performance and arrange for a dozen roses to be delivered at the conclusion of the recital.

Advice: Here you are testing the candidate's ability to prioritize and maintain a healthy balance between work and outside commitments. Can this candidate develop creative solutions to delicate problems on the fly? If so, how comfortable are you with the candidate's commitment to his or her job as opposed to outside obligations? How does the candidate strike an effective balance without hampering his or her effectiveness on the job, and what does this say about the candidate's overall priorities?

Tell me about a time you didn't perform to your capabilities.

Sample Answer: I was in charge of our employee newsletter. I was new to the publications business and failed to understand the importance of a press check. The printer ran the wrong color on our logo. I ended up having to pay for the rerun. After that I never signed off on anything I hadn't seen.

Advice: You want a concise example of a time the candidate failed to perform to expectations. By whose standards did the candidate fall short- a manager's or the candidate's own? What did he or she do in response to this situation? Did the candidate grow and learn from this experience? How will he or she contribute to your company tomorrow? Was this experience ever repeated? Why or why not?

Give an example of how you completed a project, despite major obstacles and disappointments.

Sample Answer: Our design engineer left to go to one of our competitors. We discovered that most of the work on our new product launch had remained in his head. We had to file a suit to get the information. In the meantime we hired a high-priced consultant capable of getting the work done on time. The costs were high, but in the long run that was the best solution because we still delivered product on time to our first customer sites.

Advice: Look for concrete examples of ways in which the candidate tackles projects and overcomes obstacles. The candidate should be able to relate several examples that show how he or she can manage and complete a project, despite problems or unforeseen developments.

An important report that required several weeks of your work has just been returned to you marked "rejected" with severe criticisms of your work. What is your first reaction when the boss hands it to you?

Sample Answer: I'd say, "I guess I was really off the mark, but let me spend the next twenty-four hours with this to see what I can do."

Advice: Determine whether the candidate can remain unemotional and respond objectively in the face of criticism. Can he or she handle rejection in a professional manner and work on the problem areas with a positive attitude? How sensitive is the candidate with respect to ownership of his or her work, and can he or she put emotions aside and rework the report? Listen to the candidate's tone of voice, and watch for body language clues as to how he or she might react to negative feedback.

Sell me this pencil.

Sample Answer: This is the oldest, most reliable, and most inexpensive writing instrument you can obtain. I normally sell them for fifty cents each, but today I'm offering you a special deal: two for 49 cents. I accept all major credit cards, and if you purchase them for business or personal use, you may be entitled to a tax deduction.

Advice: This statement can generate an array of responses. Can the candidate focus on product features and articulate benefits that would help you make a buying decision? Are you convinced to the point where you would actually buy the pencil? You should not look for an absolute correct answer; however, the candidate should be able to assess the situation or, in this case, evaluate the product on the spot and convince you to make an impulse buying decision. Look for some creativity in the sales pitch. Be careful about how you use this type of stress question, however, as some candidates may resent your asking it or question if it's relevant to the job opening.

Why are manhole covers round?

Sample Answer: Manhole covers are round because sewer pipes are round. Sewer pipes are round because round pipes are much stronger than any other shape. Pipes placed underground must endure a tremendous amount of stress-from earthquakes to frost.

Advice: You want to find out here if the candidate can think on his or her feet and give you an intelligent response that demonstrates a logical and rational thought process in a short amount of time. The answer should also demonstrate whether the candidate can handle the unexpected and respond quickly with a workable solution. Be careful about how you use this type of stress question, however, as some candidates may resent your asking it or question if it's relevant to the job opening.

You seem to have done very well in your past job. Why weren't you promoted?

Sample Answer: That's why I'm here talking to you now. My boss was very happy with my work, but there was only one opening on the next level during the entire time I was there, and that occurred only three months after I joined the company.

Advice: You want to see if the candidate will respond emotionally, in the belief that he or she was bypassed unfairly, or if there were concrete reasons for the situation, such as a general lack of upward mobility in the organization. Can the candidate reasonably assess his or her performance, given the realities of higher-level positions? What does this mean for the advisability of making an offer to this candidate?

Why didn't you complete your formal education?

Sample Answer: I decided to leave school because I was working thirty hours a week waiting tables to support myself. I just did not have enough time to devote to my schoolwork. When I do anything, I always give 150 percent.

Advice: You should determine if the candidate is someone who can commit to finishing what he or she has started or drifts from one experience to the next. Was there a good reason for the candidate to leave school? You must assess whether he or she was forced to leave for economic or other reasons beyond his or her control. Remember that it can be considered discrimination to require an educational degree if one is not necessary to perform the job satisfactorily.