From the Desk of Brad Smart: #1 Question to Ask Job Seekers

Experienced interviewer, Elizabeth Gore, CEO of Hello Alice, wrote a blog (click here) advising interviewers, when interviewing job seekers, to ask: “What do you think we’re doing wrong at our company?” She offers a follow-up question: “How are you going to push our company goals?” And finally, she says to watch for HOW they answer, favoring a tactful reply such as, “Here’s a growth idea you might consider,” rather than, “Your company sucks.” She’s right. This line of questioning reveals the extent to which the candidate has researched the company and their cultural fit AND if they are strategic thinkers. But …

Her recommended #1 interview question is NOT the best you can ask. We have learned, and shown through research, that about half of resumes contain lies, which are continued in interviews. With ChatGPT, job seekers, in a flash, create “perfect” resumes, filled with misrepresentations. That’s why half the people you hire turn out to disappoint you. You’re angry when you realize, three months after a bad hire, that they lied to you when you asked what their weaker points were. They know they can get away with lying because most companies don’t permit managers to take reference calls, for fear of getting sued. Reference checks for hiring are essential but often neglected. Good grief.

If you want streamlined efficiency, data-driven hiring, and cost-effective hiring process, THE most important question is this: “If we offer you a job, are you willing to arrange calls with all the managers you’ve reported to in the past decade?” This is the Topgrading Truth Motivator. High performers, or A Players, are not just willing, they are eager to arrange the calls, knowing their bosses will sing their praises. Two thirds of job seekers pause, look away, and mumble something about, “maybe I would arrange some calls.” Clients have learned - these folks are not high performers.

As my granddaughters say, “PERF!” Topgrading’s hiring methods and the Topgrading Truth Motivator work! It’s just one of Topgrading’s proven ways to hire A Players. From the moment a candidate says, “Yes!” to this question, you can be sure they are NOT gaming you – interviews are honest, reference calls they arrange with bosses are positive, and you hire more high producers. Suddenly you have a scalable recruitment model, and since you’ll then interview only honest people, you’re enhancing the candidate experience (one of the biggest beefs by job seekers).

AFTER candidates pass the Topgrading Truth Motivator question, sure, Gore’s line of questioning is fine …. But Topgrading has additional ways that ensure you’ll find out what the candidate has done, how they have accomplished things, what their bosses felt about their performance, and more.

Want to learn more about how Topgrading can boost your talent acquisition success? Contact us and we’ll be happy to listen to your hiring challenges, answer your questions, and give you the confidence to hire A Players.

Topgrading can help you hire honest, high performers. Contact us.  

Dr. Brad Smart is Founder and CEO of Topgrading, Inc. Topgrading is dedicated to helping companies of all sizes maximize the hiring of high performers. Topgrading assesses candidates for senior positions (where the costs of mis-hires are high) and trains all managers to create teams of almost all high performers. Brad has seven published books on hiring; the most recent three (the first, second, and third editions of Topgrading) were all best sellers.

To learn more, download our free eGuide or attend our next Topgrading Webinar. Our webinar explains the most effective recruitment methods, how to immediately identify the most honest, high performing applicants, and how to (finally!) verify what candidates tell you (since reference calls are usually worthless).

Improve your hiring success with Topgrading. Our proven hiring process will transform your selection methodology so that you get better hiring results across all industries, including hiring HR professionals.  Our  leadership and candidate assessment  tools will help you assess, hire, retain, and grow outstanding team members. Contact us to learn more!