In Part 1, I covered five interview questions that need to be put into a rocket and shot into another galaxy. Unfortunately, the list doesn’t end there. So let’s continue the cleanup.
Here are five more interview questions that are overused, outdated, or badly designed.
6. “How do you handle stress?”
This question is problematic for two reasons. First, it almost always produces the same answer.
“I handle stress well.”
Because nobody is going to say: “Terribly. I cry in the bathroom and eat the snacks I stash in my drawer.”
Second, you’re throwing up red flags like it’s a parade. When you ask, “How well do you handle stress?” candidates will often hear:
“This role is really stressful, and we want to make sure you can survive it without curling into a ball under your desk.”
I understand that most jobs are stressful. There are deadlines, busy seasons, difficult clients, and unexpected problems. That is normal. However, it’s also a company’s responsibility to make sure support is in place so employees can manage those demands without burning out.
What to ask instead:
“Tell me about a time you had to manage competing priorities.”
“Describe a period when your workload was especially heavy. What did you do to manage it?”
“What helps you stay organized when several things are urgent?”
7. “Are you a team player?”
This question should never have seen the light of day, because there is only one acceptable answer.
“Yes.”
That’s it. No candidate is going to say: “No. I prefer to be isolated because I hate humans.”
Or:
“Only if my teammates are competent, emotionally stable, and won’t eat my lunch.”
I mean, a few bold candidates might say the second one out loud, but that’s highly unlikely—even though it’s what most of them will be thinking and hoping.
Teamwork matters. However, asking someone if they are a team player is like asking if they are professional, reliable, or enjoy being paid. The answer will be yes because the alternative is self-sabotage.
What to ask instead:
“Tell me about a successful team project you were part of. What was your role?”
“Describe a time you had to work with someone whose style was different from yours.”
“What do you need from a team in order to do your best work?”
8. “What motivates you?”
This question is not completely terrible, but it often leads to vague, carefully crafted answers.
“I am motivated by challenges.”
“I am motivated by growth.”
“I am motivated by helping others.”
Most people are motivated by a mix of things: work they enjoy, autonomy, recognition, stability, learning, and not being treated like a number. And yes, money. That doesn’t make them greedy, it makes them sensible, because we all need a livable wage.
What to ask instead:
“What kind of work gets you the most excited?”
“What conditions help you do your best work?”
“What has made a role feel meaningful or satisfying for you in the past?”
9. “Describe yourself in three words.”
I get the challenge of answering this question, but it really won’t reveal much. Most candidates will choose three positive, professional adjectives or harmless quirks:
Reliable.
Hardworking.
Creative.
Curious.
Foodie.
Pokémon enthusiast.
People are complex. Reducing someone to three adjectives may be fun for an icebreaker, but it should not be used as a selection tool.
What to ask instead:
“How would your previous manager describe your work style?”
“What feedback do you most often receive from colleagues?”
“What strengths show up most consistently in your work?”
10. “If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?”
Ten points to the person who created this “gem.” Negative 1000 points for the uselessness of this question. Unless you are hiring someone to write personality quizzes or, perhaps, as a zookeeper, this question needs to go. The same applies to:
“If you were a kitchen appliance, what would you be?”
“If you were a superhero, what power would you have?”
“If I could grant you one wish, what would it be?”
These questions are often seen as a way to assess creativity or how someone thinks on their feet. That may be true to a minor degree. Some candidates will enjoy it, some will panic, some will give a clever answer, and some will wonder whether they accidentally walked into a kindergarten class.
Unless the role genuinely requires spontaneous creative thinking under strange conditions, you are probably not learning what you think you are learning.
What to ask instead:
“Tell me about a time you had to solve a problem in a creative way.”
“Describe a situation where you had to think quickly.”
“What is an example of a time you approached a problem differently from others?”
A Few Other Interview Questions That Need to Be Dropped into the Depths of the Deepest Ocean
Some of these questions are not bad per se, but they are usually too vague, too easy to fake, or too disconnected from the actual job.
“What is your dream job?”
This can make candidates feel like they are being tested for loyalty to a role they have not even been offered yet.
“What do you know about our company?”
Useful in theory, but it’s mostly a memory test of the company website. Better: “What interested you in our company and this role?”
“Sell me this pen.”
Unless the job involves sales, negotiation, or improvisation, please put the pen down.
And although you probably know this already, I’ll say it anyway: avoid legally risky or prohibited questions. What qualifies as illegal depends on where your company is located, but play it safe and don’t ask about age, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy status, and medical history.
Bottom line:Ask better questions, and you will get better answers.