How to Use the Element of Surprise in Interviews

Selecting the best candidate from all those you must interview is always a challenge. Interviewees are so well prepared these days and it is hard to come up with questions that require that they think on their feet. And yet, behavior based interviewing experts agree that the best way to get candid answers is to ask unanticipated questions. Use the element of surprise to elicit a more natural response. Try asking the reverse or the opposite of what they expect.

Here are some examples:

• Instead of asking what they hope to be doing in the next five years (a pretty standard interview question), ask interviewees what they hope NOT to be doing in the next five years.
• Rather than asking what others would say are their strengths and weaknesses, ask how others have misunderstood who they are, what they can do and how well they can do it.

This mode of questioning will solicit more authentic answers and give you some insight into your candidate’s adaptability while help you identify the best one for the job.