Why ask why when interviewing?
If you are a hiring manager, a recruiter, or an interviewer, you know how important it is to ask the right questions to assess a candidate's fit for the role. But do you know how to ask why questions effectively?
Why questions are powerful tools to elicit a candidate's motivations, values, goals, and behaviors. They can help you understand not only what a candidate has done, but also why they did it, how they did it, and what they learned from it.
Why questions can also reveal a candidate's strengths, weaknesses, challenges, achievements, and growth potential. They can help you gauge a candidate's self-awareness, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.
But asking why questions is not as simple as adding "why" to the beginning of any question. You need to be strategic, specific, and respectful when asking why questions. Here are some tips to help you ask why questions effectively:
- Start with open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are those that cannot be answered with a yes or no. They encourage the candidate to provide more details and examples. For example, instead of asking "Do you have experience in project management?", you can ask "Tell me about a project that you managed or contributed to."
- Follow up with why questions. After the candidate has given an answer to an open-ended question, you can ask why questions to dig deeper into their response. For example, after the candidate has described a project they worked on, you can ask "Why did you choose this project?", "Why did you use this approach?", "Why did you face this challenge?", or "Why did you achieve this outcome?"
- Be specific and relevant. Avoid asking vague or general why questions that can confuse or overwhelm the candidate. Instead, focus on the aspects that are relevant to the role and the organization. For example, instead of asking "Why do you want to work here?", you can ask "Why are you interested in this role?" or "Why do you align with our mission and values?"
- Be respectful and empathetic. Avoid asking why questions that can sound accusatory, judgmental, or intrusive. Instead, use a tone that is respectful and empathetic, and acknowledge the candidate's perspective and feelings. For example, instead of asking "Why did you leave your last job?" or "Why did you fail in this task?", you can ask "What were the reasons for your transition?" or "What were the challenges that you faced in this task?"
- Listen actively and attentively. Asking why questions is not enough if you don't listen to the candidate's answers carefully and attentively. You need to pay attention to the content, tone, and body language of the candidate's responses, and ask clarifying or follow-up questions if needed. You also need to show interest and appreciation for the candidate's answers by nodding, smiling, or giving positive feedback.
Asking why questions when interviewing can help you gain valuable insights into a candidate's fit for the role and the organization. But remember to ask why questions effectively by following these tips: start with open-ended questions, follow up with why questions, be specific and relevant, be respectful and empathetic, and listen actively and attentively.