Top 13 of the most popular interview questions asked by CEOs in history

Check out the 13 favorite interview questions of CEOs in history

During the interview, if the examiner asks an overly simplistic question that is similar to a game or a joke, you should give it another try. Turn your head and think about whether the examiner has other intentions, whether they are testing your IQ, EQ or A; if so, you have to break out of the constraints of conventional thinking and adopt an unconventional or divergent thinking method to answer the question. Questions must not be answered mechanically and matter-of-factly in order to achieve the miraculous effect of "hitting the right answer".

In addition to the candidate's answers, the interviewer will pay special attention to listening to the "unspoken meaning".

Writer Haden: 13 Interview Questions CEOs Favorite

Author: Jeff Haden is an author, speaker, and magazine columnist. He has written more than 50 books on leadership, entrepreneurship, management, process improvement, finance and investing.

Everyone has interview questions.

Everybody wishes they had better interview questions.

So I asked founders or CEOs in various fields what their favorite interview questions were and what they revealed about the candidates.

1. Why did you change X jobs within Y years?

This question can help me fully understand the applicant’s work experience. What motivated them? Why did they change jobs? What were their main reasons for leaving?

The answers candidates give can show their loyalty and logical thought process. Do they think there is always someone (manager or boss, etc.) looking for trouble with them? Do they get bored easily?

There is nothing wrong with job-hopping in itself? The reasons why they change jobs are what really matters.

Shama Kabani, Founder and CEO of The Marketing Zen Group

2. If one year later we want to celebrate what we have done in these 12 months , what do you think we should achieve?

For me, the most important thing in an interview is to let the interviewee interview us. I need to know that they have done their homework, truly understand our company and the position they are applying for, and truly want it.

The candidate must have enough long-term strategic vision and a good sense of the big picture to be able to answer what we should achieve in a year and why he or she wants to work for our company.

Randy Garutti, CEO of Shake Shack

3. When have you felt most satisfied in your life?

In addition to getting started Level candidates, I believe that most candidates have the appropriate job skills and knowledge. Moreover, I believe that smart people with relevant experience can quickly adapt to the new environment and stand out in it, as long as the culture there matches their personality and can stimulate their potential. Therefore, I focused on the candidate's personality and whether their personality matched my company's.

This question often leads to a variety of different conversations, which allows me to see how well our company’s culture matches this person’s personality, and what kind of environment this person needs to be able to perform at his best. Maximum potential.

Dick Cross, founder and CEO of Cross Partnership

4. If you apply successfully, like the job, and get the salary you requested, So what conditions do other companies offer you that will make you excited?

I want to know whether the applicant's motivation for applying for a job is to pursue money or to pursue his or her own interests.

Can they be bought by other companies?

Many of the answers may surprise you.

Ilya Pozin, founder of Ciplex

5. Who is your role model? Why?

This question can reveal a lot about job candidates Whether the person regularly reflects on personal and professional development is a quality that is highly correlated with success and ambition.

Also, it can also show the character and behavior that the applicant hopes to have.

? Clara Shih, co-founder and CEO of Hearsay Social

6. What do you don’t like to do?

We tend to get used to it People who love a certain position will naturally like everything about this position. However, I found that this is not the case.

However, it will take some persistence on your part to get the candidate to answer this question realistically. I usually ask this question multiple times in various forms, and the answer you get in the end is definitely worth the effort. For example, I once interviewed someone for a sales position and she said she didn’t like meeting strangers.

The most amazing thing is that a person who applied for a financial job once told me that he hated minutiae and hated checking his financial figures repeatedly. Call the next candidate!

Art Papas, founder and CEO of Bullhorn Company

7. Tell us about what you have achieved in your career The achievement that you feel is most important.

I have found that this question leads to more questions that get the candidate to talk more specifically about themselves.

This question can easily lead to these questions: What role did you hold when you achieved this achievement? How did it affect your development in the company? Who else was involved? How did this achievement affect Your team’s?

Discussing one of the candidate’s accomplishments can tell you more about that person, including their work habits and how they work with others.

Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation

8. What is your favorite animal?

When you first interviewed me When she was now an administrative assistant, I asked her what her favorite animal was. She said it was a duck because ducks always seemed calm and calm and completed their tasks quietly.

I think this is a great answer and perfectly illustrates the role of an administrative assistant. To be clear, she has been with our company for over a year now and is doing extremely well.

Ryan Holmes, CEO of HootSuite

9. We are always in the unremitting pursuit of perfection, speed, wisdom or low cost, so we use the latest technology or improve processes. In other words, we strive to get more output with less input. Tell us about a project you have recently implemented or a problem you have solved that you did this way.

Excellent candidates will answer this question from multiple aspects. Great candidates appear excited when answering questions.

In the past 13 years, our company’s products have only raised prices once. This is not to say that our costs have decreased. On the contrary, the reason why we have been able to maintain the same price is because we are doing things more efficiently. Our team, from top to bottom, will actively identify problems and solve them.

Every new employee must do this as well.

? Edward Wimmer, co-founder of RoadID

10. What achievements did you achieve in your last job that can prove that you will be in this job? Achieve great development?

Past achievements often indicate future success.

If a candidate can’t point to previous achievements, they probably won’t do much in your company.

Dave Lavinsky, co-founder and president of Growththink

11. Can you tell me your story?

This empty question will immediately put the interviewee on the defensive because it has no right or wrong answer. However, it does have an answer.

This question requires candidates to answer creatively. It can reveal a lot about a candidate, including personality, imagination and creativity.

This question may sound hollow, but it is the beginning of a story. In today's world, the ability to tell a story and create buzz is exactly what sells a brand, whether it's a product or a person.

The look on my face when the candidates were asked this question also revealed their preferences. If they appear cautious, look unnatural, and take long pauses, then that tells me that they may be too rigid and narrow-minded. In our industry, we need people with broad minds.

Richard Funess, Managing Partner of Finn Partners

12. Do you have any questions for me?

I like it Ask this question during the interview as it can reveal whether the candidate is able to think quickly and whether they are prepared and think strategically.

I’ve found that you get to know candidates better by asking them questions rather than by asking them their answers.

Scott Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of ExactTarget

13. Talk about a time when you were unhappy? For example, you wanted to get a promotion, but the result was But you didn’t get it; or the project you did didn’t produce the results you hoped for.

This question is very simple, but it is very illustrative. Candidates may say they understand the importance of teamwork, but that doesn't mean they actually know how to work as a team. We want proactive individuals who view their position as integral to the team.

There will be three basic types of answers to this question: 1. Blaming others; 2. Belittle oneself; 3. Seeking development opportunities.

Our company needs very dedicated people who are willing to take on more responsibilities and sometimes do more than their job requires. I want team members to have the right attitude and approach. If a candidate is judgmental, blaming, blaming a previous employer, or interprets his or her role as a solo effort rather than a collaborative effort, he or she is unlikely to perform well in our company.

However, if they have the courage to take responsibility and are eager to apply what they have learned to their work, they will make great progress in our company.

Tony Knopp, co-founder and CEO of Spotlight Ticket Management;