Here's a powerful interview question that you can start using today:
"Who have been your major career influences and why?"
This interview question can reveal several important aspects of a candidate:
- Self-awareness: It shows how reflective the candidate is about their career development and the factors that have shaped their professional journey.
- Values and priorities: The influences they choose to mention can indicate what they value most in their career and professional life.
- Role models: It provides insight into the types of professionals or leaders they admire and potentially aspire to emulate.
- Learning orientation: The question can reveal how open the candidate is to learning from others and their ability to apply those lessons to their own career.
- Career trajectory: Their answer may offer clues about their career path and how they've navigated their professional development.
- Adaptability: If they mention diverse influences, it could indicate an ability to learn from various sources and adapt to different situations.
- Industry knowledge: The influences they cite might demonstrate their familiarity with key figures or thought leaders in their field.
- Interpersonal skills: How they describe their influences can show their ability to form meaningful professional relationships.
- Communication skills: The way they structure their answer and articulate their thoughts can provide insight into their communication abilities.
- Cultural fit: The influences they mention might indicate whether their values align with your organization's culture.