One Question You Must Ask Every New Job Candidate

I wish I could do it all over again.

My days spent in the corporate world were not always perfectly orchestrated, and I was not always the best conductor. One of my biggest regrets is the process I used for hiring people. I didn't get to know candidates enough before I offered them a job. (I also promoted people too quickly, but that's a topic for another day.) I focused too much on their skills and experience and not enough on what actually made them tick. I avoided getting personal.

During my tenure, which lasted about 15 years at three different companies, I hired dozens and dozens of people. I rarely asked about their long-term ambitions. I was too worried about asking tough questions that led to awkward silence or a lot of squirming. I was too worried about corporate dogma that said I needed to use a highly analytical approach.

Here's the question I wished I had asked:

What's the one thing you hope to get out of life?

That's it. Pure and simple. And yet, not that easy to answer. What would you say to that question? If you would just mumble something about making money or furthering your skills and experience, it doesn't really bode well for your ambitions. Here are two possible answers, one that is amazingly lame and a huge red flag and one that is much more impressive. I'd avoid hiring the first person; I'd hire the second.

First answer:

"Well, I really want to make money. My main goal is to use this job as a stepping stone to advance my career and reach a higher income potential. I'm just focused on me right now and achieving my plan for a career, so I want this job to provide the best opportunities."

Second answer:

"To be honest, my biggest goals in life have nothing to do with my job. I just want to make a difference in the world. Last year, I went to Cambodia and helped people build houses. If this job leads to something more meaningful and rewarding, it's a good fit for me."

Now, I realize no one would ever really give you that first answer. Yet, they might say something that's similar or gives you that impression. It's amazing how people who are asked what they want to get out of life will be blunt and say money. People who have a clearer picture of what is important will say something deeper and more profound.

I'd rather hire the ones who have that more advanced understanding of life because they probably also have a moral compass, they will work harder, they won't get as offended, and they'll separate the job at hand (which can be mundane at times) from the grand purposes of life. And that's OK. If you are hiring a Web designer or a salesperson, you should accept the fact that someone might have long-term plans that don't match up perfectly with the goals of your company. Hire for character, not plans.

I made many mistakes when I hired people for how their plans fit into my department. I didn't spend enough time asking questions about character and goals. If I went back in time and conducted those interviews again, I'd spend the most time on the deeper questions. I'd find out about ambitions beyond the W2.

Source: Inc.com