12 Interview Questions You Should Always Ask Millennials
There
are now more Millennials that any other generation in the work force. Use these
interview questions to hire the best of them.
Of
the four generations in the work force today, Millennials (a.k.a. "Generation Y") are the
largest, with roughly 35 million people employed. The number of
Millennials will continue to rise, and they will soon be occupying many senior
level roles in organizations. It is therefore essential to make great hiring
decisions.
Pulling
from these 12 questions will help you when you interview Millennials.
1.
Would you rather be an inventor or a leader?
There is no right or wrong
answer to this question. It will simply help tell you where their passions lie
and if they like to build things or build people.
2. What would you rather have:
A) A small team with a shoestring budget and significant autonomy, or
B) A large team and budget with multi-layered decision-making processes?
This
gives you a feeling for their sense of drive and risk taking compared to their
desire for control and norms. People with an entrepreneurial spirit will always
take the first option.
3. Tell me about a time when
things felt helpless but you knew you would pull through.
Millennials
are an optimistic group, and you want to be sure you are bringing that into
your organization. Hire people with optimism and you will find they
reach for big goals and try to change the future for the better.
4. What would you do if you are
in a meeting with a senior leader that is running long and an
important phone call that you were expecting comes through?
Millennials
are notorious for multitasking. This type of scenario will lend insight into
how they handle completing priorities when they can't do two things at once.
5. Tell me about a time you
failed.
Right
or wrong, Millennials have been pegged as a group that gets their way, which
has been reinforced by helicopter parents and participation
trophies. Failure will happen (and is a valuable way to learn), and it's
important to know how they respond to it.
6. Give me an example of a
situation when you worked in a diverse group with different opinions.
Millennials
are the most inclusive generation, and it would be a flag if they did not have
good examples of inclusive behavior and collaboration.
7. Tell me about the volunteer
or charity work you do.
This
generation is passionate about giving back, whether through missionary work,
the Peace Corps, military service, or local charities. Giving and selflessness
are hallmarks of great leaders.
8. Tell me about a large
project you worked on--and your role in it--that took longer to complete than
planned.
Millennials
grew up with constant stimulation and can be impatient. It's important to
understand how they react when something takes longer than they expected.
9. Would you rather work at
home, in a traditional office, or in an office with an open floor plan?
People
have preferences for how to work and you will want to ensure that you have a
workplace aligned to this (or provide clarity on your work environment).
10.
How do you like to receive feedback?
Millennials
are a group that desires frequent positive feedback. Balancing this against
your internal culture will be important.
11.
What role do you expect to have in five years?
\This
question may sound presumptuous, but Millennials have a strong desire for
achievement and promotion. Providing career paths and clear expectations are
important.
12.
Tell me about a time you were passed up for an award or promotion
you felt you deserved.
Millennials
can get frustrated if they don't achieve quickly (see question above). Seeing
how they respond to this question will give you an idea of their commitment and
resiliency.
If
you think the workplace is already complex, just wait a few years when a fifth generation is added to
the mix.
Regardless, people are people. No matter the distinctions we find, human needs and motivations transcend generations and will always be more
similar than different.
BY DAVID VAN ROOY
http://www.inc.com/david-van-rooy/9-interview-questions-you-should-always-ask-millennials.html?cid=em01014week21a
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