I'm interviewing for a new boss - questions?

Question

My boss is leaving the company and since we are a two-person department (so this will be someone I will have to work very closely with) I'll be helping in the interview process as we get candidates. I've never interviewed someone for a job position! Any tips or certain questions I should ask? I'm the graphic designer and my new boss would be the creative director if that helps with understanding the dynamic. Thanks!

Paula R. Joseph · Answer

Maria, congrats on entering the world of interviewing! Probably some of the most interesting work I've done involved interviewing and hiring large number of folks for my previous company.

Since you'll likely be part of an interview panel and not representing management or HR, use this experience to put on your 'company hat' to give input on the best fit for the company or team.

Just a few places to start:

First, start with studying the job posting.
  -Review the basic qualifications required that are listed, and what are the preferred? In your experience with the role do some seem more relevant that others? You'll have firsthand knowledge here.

-Understand the stated deliverables of the role. This would be the output that customers, management and any direct reports would expect on a regular basis, such as reports, public speaking, customer site visits, etc.  Do any surprise you? Which ones were the most relevant or seemingly most important for this person to achieve?

-Think about any new challenges that are not called out in the job description that will be important for this new person. Be sure not to disclose any confidential information about new business, technology or issues, but you can probably find a generic question that will give you information on their experience level in that area.

-Last, develop a few key questions you would like to know from the candidate based on your review of the role that you think are most important for their success.

And this is the most important...have those questions reviewed by HR or other senior managers before the interview. There are many employment laws you need to be aware of in interview practices to be sure candidates are treated fairly and inclusively. Sometimes just changing a phrase or word will remove any perceptions of bias and give you more valuable information in the long run.

Good Luck!

Johana Tatlow · Answer

I had an interview recently where the questions often surprised me, and in the end, we got to know each other a lot better than the 'standard' interview. Two that stood out to me: 'What do you like to do in your free time?' and 'What do you NOT want us to know?' With a manager role, I would also ask situational questions that will get to their leadership style--'Tell me about a time when you didn't feel like an employee was performing at their top potential. How did you handle it?' or 'How do you motivate a team when they are swamped with too much to do, and you need to make a deadline?' You want a boss who can see people for who they are, figure out what makes them thrive, and bring out their best. So, try to ask questions that get to that.

Brookie · Answer

How fun, Maria!

Since JDaisy covered all of the important things, I'll go a completely different way with this. One of my closest friends is a computer scientist and all of her IT interviews have involved completing an assignment with the interviewers watching, (how nerve-wracking!).

An anonymous proverb states, 'You Can Discover More About a Person in an Hour of Play than in a Year of Conversation'.  With that in mind, I wonder, can you do a mock collaborative 'assignment' together to see how you would collaborate and brainstorm with one another?

This could bypass some of the 'saying the right thing to get the job' stuff.

Either way, congratulations on earning the ranks to interview people. That sounds pretty neat!

Paula R. Joseph · Answer

Johanna, I absolutely agree. Those 'tell me about a time when...' are behavioral interview questions and IMHO by far the best way to determine if a candidate's skills and experiences are relevant for the position and company.

I'm interviewing for a new boss - questions?

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