Most small business managers are not trained to ask the questions that will uncover the types of people who thrive in fast-changing environments.
We do hundreds of non-technical interviews a year for our customers, so here is a list of the best questions we have found to check for the resourcefulness, innovative thinking, and grit needed to succeed in small businesses.
These questions have come from business gurus such as Peter Thiel, and hiring experts such as Dr Geoff Smart and Lou Adler, as well as questions we have developed and 'battle tested' ourselves.
It's important that you use these questions sparingly. They will make interviewees stop and think, and using too many of them can make the interview very difficult for them.
You should only ask questions that are relevant to attributes you need in the job. We use our Hiring Blueprint to identify the key characteristics, then choose some relevant questions from this list in addition to more standard / traditional questions.
Tell me about the last time you felt completely out of your depth.
Could you tell me about a time when you were given an assignment that really wasn't part of your job?
What's the hardest thing you've ever worked on - something you really didn't think would be successful? (You're trying to understand what they see as hard, and how they respond to adversity. It's really important not to ask a leading question e.g. "...and how you battled through to succeed.")
What's the most challenging or uncomfortable feedback you've ever received at work?
What's the most difficult feedback you've ever had to give someone? (This is only for managers)