Your search committee has answered the questions to themselves and has started to bring in candidates for interviews.
Here are 5 questions that should be asked of every candidate.
They are from BoardwalkConsulting.com, with some comments from me. You can read and download the details here.
1. Why are you here?
Put the emphasis on the “here”, unless this is to be a stress interview. This is a good opener that focuses on the candidate, instead of the organization. Will he or she discuss the opportunity or their dissatisfaction with their current situation?
Of course, the passive candidate, the one you really want, will say, “Because you asked me.” Don’t ask the passive candidate this question. See Question 4.
2. How will you make us proud(er)?
This is an odd question. Pride is, after all, one of the seven sins. You should be looking for answers to “How will you improve us and move us toward our vision?”
3. What will surprise us most about your leadership here?
I like this question. It gives them a chance to talk about their strengths and how they apply to your organization.
4. What questions do you have?
This is important. They should have questions. Questions show preparation. Questions show the ability to find the holes in any discussion.
I will show you what they should ask in the next post. I will probably rant, so it could be interesting.
5. What makes you interesting?
This tells you what they do when not at work. This may, or may not, be relevant. You may discover some valuable skill or you may find a major conflict.