Five questions to ask a recruiter over the phone. An interview through the eyes of a recruiter, or these strange questions

Often candidates undergo 2-3 interviews. First with the recruiter, and then with the immediate supervisor. Let's figure out how to interest them.

Depending on the level of the vacancy and the size of the company, the HR director or a higher-level manager may also meet with you.

Interview with a recruiter

The recruiter's task is to select the most suitable applicants from hundreds of responses. His work can be compared to a sieve through which he sifts through a stream of resumes and selects those that meet the requirements of the position.

In fact, he compares the requirements of the job with information about your experience, so your task is to give him confidence that he made the right choice.

At the first interview, as a rule, they ask you about formal data: whether you really performed certain duties, whether you know the programs you indicated, whether you are ready to move, whether your length of service is correct, etc.

Some applicants are annoyed by such questions - “it’s written on the resume after all!” - they think. However, we recommend that you do not hesitate to clarify and help the recruiter make sure that your experience meets all the requirements.

Sometimes these clarifying questions are asked to save time.

The recruiter’s second task is to assess how suitable you are for a particular company: will you fit into corporate culture, into the atmosphere of the unit, whether you will get along with the future boss. That is why at a meeting you are asked questions that may seem strange and even irrelevant. For example, they simulate situations with your behavior in a given situation. Or they ask, what do you want to be in five to ten years? They ask whether you smoke or enjoy sports? This is how the recruiter checks whether you will fit into the new team.

For example, if you are used to smoking breaks every hour, and the company promotes healthy image life - you will feel like a black sheep. A similar discrepancy if we're talking about about an ordinary position where growth is not provided for, and you say that you see yourself in a year as the director of a division.

If the position requires you to negotiate and deal with difficult clients, the recruiter may give you a stressful interview, creating an uncomfortable situation, and observe your reaction. The way you present yourself will give him an understanding of how suitable you are for the vacancy.

In any case, the recruiter’s task is to select a candidate based on compliance with the conditions of the vacancy and the spirit of the company.

You can and should discuss with the recruiter the conditions and work schedule, the benefits provided, staffing table, opportunities for growth and training in the company, as well as a salary range if the interlocutor raises this issue.

Leave the details of daily work and narrow professional issues for a meeting with your manager.

Interview with the manager

If a recruiter invites you to a meeting with your future boss (relevant for specialists and), congratulations, your chances are already very high.

During the first interviews, it was important for the interlocutors to formulate general idea about you and what you did. In a presentation to the manager, you can dwell on the details, focus on professional nuances, and use more terms in your speech.

The manager is unlikely to ask you about strengths and weaknesses, as well as about where you see yourself in 5 years, but he can offer you a working case and, following your train of thought, assess how you will fit into his team.

Communication with the manager should be two-way - when talking about yourself, ask how similar cases are resolved in his department.

For example, you worked as a sales manager in a company that had an aggressive policy and followed the rule: contract at any cost. A new company may have different strategies, say, not to provide a discount of more than 5% under any circumstances. Therefore, when answering questions, you should always clarify: as is customary in this organization. This will show your flexibility.

Prepare questions for your manager in advance. A good professional question will help you be remembered. On the eve of the meeting, study the biography of the interlocutor, his experience, and completed projects. Treat the interview as a meeting with an interesting expert in your field. What would you like to ask him?
A sincere interest in people and their work will definitely endear you to your interlocutor. This secret has been used for centuries famous journalists- and it is perfectly applicable for interviews. But before you ask questions, still ask whether this can be done or is it better to leave it until next time. If the interlocutor is inclined to hire you, he will want to continue the conversation, otherwise he will not waste his and your time on a pointless conversation.

We hope our tips will help you better prepare for your interview. Happy job searching!

Career in the IT industry

At the end of the interview, the recruiter usually asks each candidate if there are any questions. People often get lost and don't find what to ask. And only after some time (often when a person is already working in a company) questions arise of their own accord that should have been asked about in advance, rather than taking a pig in a poke and wondering “How did I get here? Where was I looking? Why didn’t I think about this? This is the so-called “staircase effect”. I have prepared a cheat sheet so that you, %habrauser%, are not at a loss.

General

1. Work schedule and can it be moved?
I love to sleep. But on mine past work The “working morning” began at 7:30. Not only was I quite often unable to arrive at this time, but I spent half a day trying to get myself into working shape. Somewhere before 10:00. From 10:30 to 11:30 I worked hard. Then there was lunch. And then I wanted to sleep and not work, because... I haven't gotten enough sleep since this morning. Needless to say, instead of the 8 hours for which the employer hired me, I worked in the “flow” for only 3-4 hours. So you need to decide for yourself the question - when am I most productive? And discuss the work schedule with management. And one more nuance. Try to fix the discussed schedule in employment contract or a contract (hereinafter referred to as TD), if the employer agrees to a personal work schedule for you. No verbal agreements. Otherwise, they will start twisting your hands while you are working (as happened to me).

2. Dress code?
Here I think no explanation is needed.

3. Vacation?
If you change jobs before the summer, the issue of vacation may suddenly arise. Moreover, if one of the family members has already staked out a vacation at their job. Employers are reluctant to give vacations in the first six months or even give them only after a year. But if you really need it, you can bargain. The main thing is not to forget to remember this at the interview. The agreement must be recorded in the TD.

4. Business trips?
Some people love it, some don't. But when business trips last for 2-3 months, this must be immediately clarified at the interview and taken into account.

5. Payment for processing?
If there is a provision on compensation for overtime, please show it. Typically this item is included in collective agreement, but compensation is rarely actually paid. But here you can’t put a straw in it, and you’ll only find out when you jump into the pool with your head.

6. Can I bring personal devices?
Question about both the access mode and working with them (if you are a developer mobile applications). The court also has the following question:

7. Are devices provided for use or for work?
At our work, managers were given a working iPad and laptop. A nice bonus I must say.

8. VHI – additional medical insurance?
What does it include? Check with your dentist. Some companies do not include dentistry in their VHI package. People then get upset when they have to pay their hard-earned money.

9. Non-disclosure agreement?
Whether there is a? What does it include?

10. Is training paid for by the company?
Every year, or more often, lists of courses are compiled to which employees can be sent to improve their skills. You can ask what courses you can take this year. Does the company pay for them? And how much will they cost you personally? For example, there is a practice of demanding that you work for a company for some time or that you receive a refund of the money the company spent on you. You might also be interested in this practice. But here they can lie to you.

11. Employee parking?

12. In what rubles is the salary paid - domestic or foreign?

13. Work from home?
Is it possible? Are there people who work like this?

14. Is there a job description?
The employer really likes to assign non-core work to ordinary employees. Delegation, so to speak. But no one will tell you about this in advance. They may send you to refill cartridges or repair your printer. "Tyzhprogrammer"! This is especially popular in small companies. Be puzzled job description worth it, because This is a document according to which you do not have the right to be assigned additional responsibilities that are not specified in it. However, each instruction contains the following paragraph: “follow instructions from management.” It all depends on your quarrelsomeness.

15. Office?
Open space or offices. Do you have the furniture and equipment so you can go out on Monday and start working? No need to listen to the recruiter here! Here you need:

16. Ask to see your future workplace?
A wonderful offer may suddenly turn out to be a windowless room in the basement, without furniture, without a computer, or an open space buzzing like a hornet's nest. If they don’t want to show you a place, this is a reason to be wary and insist. On the way there and back, you can talk with your future colleagues and ask about questions that the recruiter might have lied to you about. For example, regarding overtime, etc.

17. Feedback on the vacancy?
Actually, deadlines and nothing more.

18. About the resume?
You can also ask about improving your resume. What caught the recruiter's attention, and where does it need to be improved?

Salary

In addition to trading about the rate and premium, do not forget about:

19. Probation period?
For what period? What is the salary for this period? Is it possible to review based on the results? probationary period.

20. Advanced training?
This point is about certification and taking courses. I think you want not only to hang a piece of paper in a frame on the wall, but also to feel the heaviness in your wallet from the increase. This issue can also be discussed in advance. If the employer is not interested in your professional growth, then should you be interested in him?

21. Indexation and revision of salaries?
The recruiter usually talks about this quite well himself, but he may forget.

22. Bank card?
Can I use my bank account to transfer salaries? At my last job, I ran like this every month - shifting! This is because the bank, on whose cards the money was credited by the employer, had only 20 ATMs in a city with a population of one million.

23. Prize?
It depends on what factors and when it is calculated (quarterly or monthly).

Labour Organization

24. Provision of HW and SW by employer and use of HW and SW by employer?
How many monitors are you talking about? Give me two. Are you using NetBeans or Eclipse, what if I work on IDEA? What are your servers running on? On Windows Server? Are you using rar or zip? Thank you, goodbye, it was nice chatting! Here you can ask about electronic document management(in my former company he was a rare disgusting thing!). Where does communication and correspondence take place? Can I use my own PC or my own software? Is it possible to bring pets to work? Whether there is a kindergarten for children - to grow up in a corporate environment :-)?

25. Organization structure?
Can I ask for a diagram? structural divisions organization and show where your place will be. Thus, you can easily calculate how many bosses there will be over you (I had 7 of them at one time). One may be puzzled by the question: who does architecture and analytics? But these questions are not suitable for outsourcing companies, where everything is extremely simple and clear - team, team lead, architect, testers, project management, management and service (accounting, etc.).

By vacancy

26. Re-opened or not?
Here we are getting closer and closer to talking about projects and your direct activities. This vacancy is an expansion of staff for an existing project, recruitment for a new one, plugging a hole in the staff (after all, “a holy place is never empty” is the motto of semi-state offices and the kites revolving around them). If a vacancy has opened due to dismissal, you can ask why the previous employee quit. It all depends on the sincerity of the recruiter. And you won’t be able to protect yourself from frustration here.

27. What problem does the vacancy solve?
Jobs are opened for a reason, but in order to eliminate some need. This is the need you need to try to find out. What specific problem does the employer have that requires only your help? For example, there are not enough people. We need professionals with certain qualifications or knowledge. There is a need to increase team productivity, etc.

Project

Conversation directly about your future work with your future supervisor.

28. Tell us about the project?
When did it start? What stage is it at? What technologies are used in the project? What technologies are planned to be added to the project? How many people are involved in the project? Customer/monetization? Asking for a short speech about the project (let them dodge like startupers :-) is not all you need to sweat at the interview). What will happen if funding stops tomorrow? Is it possible to ask for another project over time? What code will you have to work with (legacy/new) and how much can you change it? Are you hiring for support or development?

29. What can I write in 2-4 years on my resume?
This is a very important question that will give a good impression of you as a candidate with potential! If the answer is vague or something like “You can write the following: I worked at Horns and Hooves LLC, I gained a huge amount of experience working with horns and hooves,” then the question needs to be clarified: What platforms and technologies are used? Are Agile/Scrum/DevOps or other methodologies used? Continuous integration tools, VCS, TDD, what is used by Project Management, what is used for Bug-tracking.

30. What won’t I write on my resume, but will it make my life easier/complicated?
When and who writes tests? Is there a test team? How testing is carried out: unit tests and blackbox tests. Is there a code review?

31. SW versions?
Another important issue to take into account. For example, who in 2 years will need java 6 if version 9 or even 10 is already released. The same goes for frameworks.

When all the questions have been asked, do not forget to ask to be taken to your future workplace.

Phew. There were a lot of questions. And answering all the questions will take a lot of time. If you wish, you can forward these questions to the recruiter and ask them to answer these questions via email. But personally I wouldn't do that. Firstly, the logic is as follows - “they want to hire me, they’re wasting my time on an interview, let them spend a little of theirs.” Secondly, if you asked so many questions to a recruiter, manager or future colleague, you will get the impression that you are a candidate who is really interested in this vacancy. And this is better than a much vague answer to the recruiter’s hypothetical question “Why do you want to work in our company?” And you will certainly be singled out among other candidates. And this will increase the likelihood of a positive decision on your candidacy.

At the interview, you planned to talk about education, work experience, job responsibilities and career growth? Instead, you are asked to draw a person, tell a joke, solve logic problem And at the end of the conversation they wonder how many fishing rods can fit in the back of a truck.

Your confusion is understandable. You can doubt the recruiter’s mental health, laugh it off or even run away, but it’s better to answer anyway. And quickly and without hesitation. The fact is that you are subjected to a special psychological test.

Trick questions can be divided into two groups. The first one is stressful. This category includes information about your previous professional success as well as about the composition of the family, children, place of work of parents, etc. Such questions help to catch the interlocutor in inaccuracies. In principle, the employer can find out the answers to them from the questionnaire, but it is important to him how you react to them. In this case, you need to answer as honestly as possible, without unnecessary emotions.

The second group includes questions that test your erudition and sense of humor, fluency and logic, reaction speed and endurance. Tricky questions Unlike stressful ones, they are not offensive and have a practical meaning. They can confuse the interlocutor, make him laugh, surprise him.

The topic of this group is difficult to determine; the imagination of recruiters is limitless. What fairy tale hero could you be? What would you do if you won a million dollars? How many piano tuners are there in the world? An unexpected question and a sharp transition from the official part of the interview to the entertainment part are confusing. In a state of shock, a person involuntarily reveals more about himself important information What was going on? After all, we can say that you will spend the money you win on vacation in distant exotic countries Or you can spend it on getting an MBA at a foreign university or starting your own business. It is clear which answer the employer will like best.

However, not all recruiters practice the use of the second, fantasy category of questions, but you are guaranteed stressful questions in any case. How to respond to some of them? Let's practice.

1. Tell us about yourself

This most common and simple question often stumps candidates. With its help, you can find out about the candidate’s life priorities: after all, people first of all talk about what worries them most. The employer is primarily interested in your education and work experience. It is advisable to keep the story about your personal life to a minimum. It is unknown how a recruiter will react to a potential security guard’s love of melodrama or ability to cross-stitch. Therefore, try to prepare an autobiographical mini-story in advance.

2. What do you do in free time, Do you have a hobby?

This question is a logical continuation of the previous one. It helps the recruiter check whether the candidate’s psychological profile meets the requirements of the position. For example, a company requires active person With leadership qualities Ready to travel. And the candidate at the interview says that he is interested in floriculture and loves home comfort and does not handle the road well. Such a candidate is unlikely to be hired.

An answer like: “I work a lot and am too tired to do any more nonsense” is also not an option. Employers like active, versatile individuals.

When answering questions about your hobbies, it is better to talk about hobbies that require the same qualities as the proposed job. Analysts can boast of achievements in solving crossword puzzles, managers - the position of captain of a sports club, designers - any creative activity.

Also, the question about a hobby allows you to assess the candidate’s intellectual level, his health and fitness (if the hobby is of a sporting nature). Remember, if you have chosen reading books as a hobby, it will be better if you name not only the latest bestsellers, but also professional publications.

3. Why did you quit your previous job?

The employer wants to know what didn’t suit you in your old job and what you expect from the new one. The main rule: never speak badly about former boss or colleagues. The new boss doesn’t know how everything really happened, but he may consider you a conflict-ridden and problematic employee. Nobody needs these. You can refer to the routine, inconvenient schedule, change of management. But the best options The answer will be your statements that you want to be on staff of a stable company, have the opportunity for career growth, work on interesting and useful projects, etc.

4. List your weaknesses

A variation of this question is: “What can you say about your failures in life?” The recruiter is not interested in the fact of failure, but in your attitude to the ups and downs, the ability to get back on your feet, and pull yourself together after a failure. Therefore, the ideal answer can be considered this: “I did not enter the university the first time, but I worked as a laboratory assistant, gained practical experience and then graduated from the institute with honors.”

5. Tell us about your achievements

The recruiter tests your self-esteem. You can talk about a successfully implemented project, advanced training, and receipt of a corporate award. The main thing is not to overdo it. You cannot go to the other extreme and underestimate your own knowledge and abilities. An interview is not the time to be overly modest. So, if, when answering the question “how well do you know German,” the candidate decides to show modesty, then, most likely, the personnel officer will make a note “does not speak the language” and give the vacancy to a more confident applicant. Therefore, answer convincingly and confidently.

6. How long do you plan to work with us?

This question helps the recruiter find out your goals and determine your sincerity. Of course, you can avoid answering by saying that first you should work in the company and understand whether you like the team and whether the problems you have to solve are interesting. “If you like everything, then our cooperation will be long and mutually beneficial” - this phrase should dot all the i’s.

7. Where do you see yourself in N years?

Alternatively: “Are you planning to promote career ladder? In this way, the personnel officer is trying to assess your prospects for working in the company.

If a recruiter names 3-5 years, then he expects that the future employee will spend this period in his organization. As a rule, the employer wants to know whether the candidate has career ambitions. Your answer will show whether you objectively assess yourself as a professional, whether you value your profession, whether you love your job, or whether your plans only include career.

If the recruiter says 10-15 years, then he wants to evaluate your long-term planning skills, ability to set and achieve goals. An unambitious person, not passionate about his profession, usually doesn’t think about the future, remains in middle management for a long time, works only for a salary. Therefore, he is characterized by a sluggish attitude towards work, shifting responsibility to others, and lack of interest in the affairs of the company. Such an employee is of no interest to the company.

To give the answer they want to hear from you, you need to collect information about the company before the interview. If you find out that the company often has promotions, then you can safely say about your hopes for career growth. If your promotion up the career ladder is not expected, and you show career ambitions, you will most likely be denied a job.

8. State your desired salary level

The employer is interested in whether the company can “buy” you and how long they can keep you with this salary. When answering, feel free to name the amount, which is 10-15% higher than what you were paid at your previous place of work. The minimum cannot be lower than the old salary (or it must be compensated for in some way). If you are applying for your first job, then look at similar offers on specialized websites and in the media.

9. How do you cope with heavy workloads?

This means that the company most likely practices overtime. You can clarify whether they really occur and how overtime is paid. For the same purpose, questions are asked about marital status The presence and age of children. From the answers, we can draw conclusions about whether the employee will work without sick leave and days off, whether he will be able to go on business trips, whether he will be a stable and dedicated employee.

10. What is one thing you don't want to encounter at work?

Or this option: “What frustrates you most about your work?” These questions test the candidate's human qualities. Answer based on generally accepted values: deceit, unprofessionalism, scandals, gossip. They may also be asked under what conditions do you work best? With this question, the employer is trying, firstly, to find out your attitude towards work; secondly, find out what you expect from a new workplace, team, working conditions, etc. It’s better to answer abstractly: friendly team, mutual understanding, clear statement of tasks, etc.

Preparation is essential!

During an interview, a personnel officer does not always strive to obtain reliable information about a potential employee. The main goal of a recruiter is to create psychological picture candidate, assess his moral qualities, ambition, career aspirations. The answer must be given, no matter how stupid or funny the question may seem. To mutter “I don’t know” in response means to admit complete defeat.

Of course, you can’t predict all the questions; every interview is unique. But you should still prepare. You can “wander” through employment forums and find practical advice. If you're lucky, you'll come across stories from other applicants who were interviewed at the same company you're about to join.

It is also important to behave correctly during an interview. Be calm, answer confidently, pronounce words clearly, ask counter questions. There is nothing to be afraid of, you are the best candidate, and the interview is just a necessary meeting. There is no need to be shy, but you shouldn’t be too frank; you need to maintain a friendly attitude in any situation. Perhaps your interlocutor will become your future colleague. But even if not, rest assured that you will definitely find a job. Good luck with your interview!

General

1. Work schedule and can it be moved?
I love to sleep. But at my last job, the “work morning” started at 7:30. Not only was I quite often unable to arrive at this time, but I spent half a day trying to get myself into working shape. Somewhere before 10:00. From 10:30 to 11:30 I worked hard. Then there was lunch. And then I wanted to sleep and not work, because... I haven't gotten enough sleep since this morning. Needless to say, instead of the 8 hours for which the employer hired me, I worked in the “flow” for only 3-4 hours. So you need to decide for yourself the question - when am I most productive? And discuss the work schedule with management. And one more nuance. Try to secure the agreed schedule in the employment agreement or contract (hereinafter referred to as TD), if the employer agrees to a personal work schedule for you. No verbal agreements. Otherwise, they will start twisting your hands while you are working (as happened to me).

2. Dress code?
Here I think no explanation is needed.

4. Business trips?
Some people love it, some don't. But when business trips last for 2-3 months, this must be immediately clarified at the interview and taken into account.

5. Payment for processing?
If there is a provision on compensation for overtime, please show it. Usually this clause is included in the collective agreement, but compensation is rarely paid in reality. But here you can’t put a straw in it, and you’ll only find out when you jump into the pool with your head.

6. Can I bring personal devices?
The question is both about bandwidth and working with them (if you are a mobile application developer). The court also has the following question:

7. Are devices provided for use or for work?
At our work, managers were given a working iPad and laptop. A nice bonus I must say.

9. Non-disclosure agreement?
Whether there is a? What does it include?

11. Employee parking?

12. In what rubles is the salary paid - domestic or foreign?

13. Work from home?
Is it possible? Are there people who work like this?

14. Is there a job description?
The employer really likes to assign non-core work to ordinary employees. Delegation, so to speak. But no one will tell you about this in advance. They may send you to refill cartridges or repair your printer. "Tyzhprogrammer"! This is especially popular in small companies. It’s worth taking a look at the job description, because... This is a document according to which you do not have the right to be assigned additional responsibilities that are not specified in it. However, each instruction contains the following paragraph: “follow instructions from management.” It all depends on your quarrelsomeness.

15. Office?
Open space or offices. Do you have the furniture and equipment so you can go out on Monday and start working? No need to listen to the recruiter here! Here you need:

17. Feedback on the vacancy?
Actually, deadlines and nothing more.

18. About the resume?
You can also ask about improving your resume. What caught the recruiter's attention, and where does it need to be improved?

Salary

In addition to trading about the rate and premium, do not forget about:

19. Probation period?
For what period? What is the salary for this period? Is it possible to review based on the results of the probationary period?

21. Indexation and revision of salaries?
The recruiter usually talks about this quite well himself, but he may forget.

23. Prize?
It depends on what factors and when it is calculated (quarterly or monthly).

Labour Organization

24. Provision of HW and SW by employer and use of HW and SW by employer?
How many monitors are you talking about? Give me two. Are you using NetBeans or Eclipse, what if I work on IDEA? What are your servers running on? On Windows Server? Are you using rar or zip? Thank you, goodbye, it was nice chatting! Here you can also ask about electronic document management (my former company had it - it’s a rare thing!). Where does communication and correspondence take place? Can I use my own PC or my own software? Is it possible to bring pets to work? Is there a kindergarten for children to grow up in a corporate environment :-)?

25. Organization structure?
You can ask for a diagram of the organization’s structural divisions and show where your place will be. Thus, you can easily calculate how many bosses there will be over you (I had 7 of them at one time). One may be puzzled by the question: who does architecture and analytics? But these questions are not suitable for outsourcing companies, where everything is extremely simple and clear - team, team lead, architect, testers, project management, management and service (accounting, etc.).

By vacancy

Project

Conversation directly about your future work with your future supervisor.

31. SW versions?
Another important issue to take into account. For example, who in 2 years will need java 6 if version 9 or even 10 is already released. The same goes for frameworks.

When all the questions have been asked, do not forget to ask to be taken to your future workplace.

The interview is necessary to assess whether the candidate is suitable for the vacancy. Notice the word "suitable". The recruiter doesn't care how wonderful you are talented person, the question is whether you are suitable for the position or not. Therefore, all questions asked during the interview are aimed at checking this suitability.

So what do recruiters really want to know when they ask questions?

Tell us about yourself?

The question that starts most interviews. It is needed in order to get to know the candidate, get him to agree to a conversation, and at the same time check how he behaves. Does he speak confidently or is he too nervous? How does he formulate phrases? How does he react when he is interrupted? Manner of speech is extremely important if a person has to communicate personally with partners, clients and colleagues. If a candidate fidgets, rubs his hands, and is visibly nervous during a meeting, this could be a sign that he is hiding something. For example, a high-profile dismissal from a previous job. This behavior will alert the recruiter.

What did you like about your previous jobs?

This question helps you find out the candidate's values and whether they align with the company's expectations. For example, a person gets a job in a large company, but he liked to work in a small team, communicate closely with management and make decisions independently. There is a possibility that the candidate would be more suited to work in a startup or small organization.

How long do you plan to work in our company?

This question has 2 main functions: to find out the applicant’s plans and check for adequacy. The society has developed certain rules which are customarily observed. According to these rules, the candidate is expected to answer that he plans to work for the company for a year, two, three or more. If instead he says, “I’ll work for you for six months, and then I want to leave for a more famous company,” this is an alarming sign.

If 3 companies make you an offer, how will you choose where to go?

The answer to such a question will reveal the candidate's values. What is important is that these are his values at a particular point in time. For example, if he now needs to pay a mortgage, money will play a significant role. What if in the future financial issue is decided, then the company’s fame, team, tasks and other indicators may come to the fore. This question is rarely asked, so there is no preparation for it in advance, which means the recruiter has a better chance of getting a sincere answer.

Why do you think other people lie?

This is an example of a so-called “projective” question. They ask you as if about other people, but subconsciously you will answer to yourself. Questions like these help bring candidates to the forefront. clean water and find out their real values. Experienced recruiters understand that there are exceptions. For example, a candidate has always worked for a long time in companies, and he is asked the question “Why do you think people often change jobs.” The applicant did not have such experience, so in his answer he may share the opinion of his friends.

Why did you leave your last job?

This is one way to identify a person’s level of conflict. Sometimes candidates don’t think about it and talk about how they had a fight with their boss, colleagues, partners or clients. Sometimes applicants, on the contrary, try to hide their conflict, but this is almost always noticeable in their manner of speech.

The recruiter may also ask about difficult situations at work and how the candidate handled them. The answer will show the level of conflict, stress resistance and responsibility. Some companies refuse to accept conflict-ridden, temperamental people in order to maintain a calm atmosphere in the office.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In a year?

The question is designed to find out what the applicant is striving for, what plans he has for the future, and whether he has any. By answering it, candidates can reveal their immaturity, thirst for power, unbridled love of money and other aspects.

Are you planning to go on maternity leave soon?

When he arrives for an interview married girl 25-30 years old, this is a risk for the company. What if she goes on maternity leave in a few months? To check this, recruiters directly ask about maternity leave. In most cases, the candidate answers “no”, and then the recruiters ask questions: “Doesn’t your husband insist?”, “What about your mother?” The answers will help assess the level of pressure on the applicant. Even if he swears that he does not plan to have children in the next couple of years, pressure from loved ones can play a decisive role.

Does it happen that recruiters don’t ask questions directly? The fact is that most candidates prepare thoroughly for the interview and come with thoughtful answers. Often these answers are insincere and do not tell about real person, but about the supposed ideal. So the dialogue goes something like this:

– Tell us about your weaknesses?

“Perhaps I’m too responsible.” If I have been entrusted with some task, I will do everything possible to bring it to the end. Even if it means working on the weekend.

– What do you like most about your work?

– I love working in a team. I really enjoy coming up with new projects with my colleagues and discussing ideas.

During an interview, people often say what they are expected to hear, rather than their real opinion. To get around the prepared answers, you have to come up with trick questions, and sometimes even conduct stressful interviews.