Considering my “fancy title”, most candidates I meet everyday have already gone through multiple technical and qualifier interview rounds. I am fortunate to meet the best of the crowd.
And I am entrusted upon conducting the “final interview round” – also fashionably termed as the “culture round”!
3 questions make up this round for me
What’s the riskiest thing you have done in life
This is a powerful question. It not just allows the candidate to lower their guard, but also beautifully gives an insight into the risk appetite of the individual.
Most people stick to the basics – rafting, bungee jumping, crossing the road in Delhi!
And some are fascinating – changing my industry, coming back from the US, becoming an entrepreneur, participating in a singing competition.
A 10-min conversation following this question almost always gives me a clear idea of where the candidate belongs in their worldview.
The best response I recall was – marrying my love against my parents wishes.
Brutal honesty! And tells me so much about the individual to even speak about this in an interview.
If you didn’t have to earn for money, say you had plenty of it, what would you do in life?
This is a really hard question. And shopping is the worst response!
The question allows most candidates to explore what is it that they really like doing. Is it painting, singing, teaching, traveling?
Magically, the candidate is forced to say the truth and nothing else but the truth. And the truth is all that the final round needs. One of the best responses I have received was – “I would spend my time visiting universities across the world and attending their best rated courses!”
Wow!
How many unread emails in your inbox as of today?
I know it’s anal and this question is so me. But it does have a very strong proxy with how organized the individual is. That said, I have several examples where non-organized people excel supremely.
I am simply biased by the notion that being organized is definitely a more positive indicator of delivery (not really performance).
God-awesome response – “today is 12 hours old. Can you be a little more specific!”
Hired, I say! :)
Would love to add more questions to this kitty. Please do share
Loved the last question. I sometimes am in a similar position as yours; interviewing the finest for our start-up. One of the questions I definitely ask is:
“I am the interviewee.. you have to interview me and reject.. Be ruthless..”
Even the most rude, egoistic people are on their polite mode during an interview mostly because they want something I am capable to offer. It is an experience to see them transit from their polite mode to the ruthless mode; studying the time it takes them to transit, the change in expression.. tells a lot..
Oh that’s a great question. Will definitely try this one.