How to Interview Better (Part 1): The Questions Every Employer Should Ask

Part 1 of a two-part series on interviews. In this episode, Bob and Jeremy explore how employers can run better interviews by asking questions that reveal far more than the usual clichés.

They discuss why some of the most common interview questions have outlived their usefulness, what to ask instead, and how to have conversations that reveal how candidates think, prepare, solve problems and approach their work.

You’ll also hear:

• The interview questions employers should stop asking
• How to spot candidates who’ve genuinely prepared
• Questions that reveal curiosity, judgement and commercial thinking
• Why time management matters in every role
• What makes sales interviews different
• And a simple closing technique every salesperson should know 

Whether you’re hiring your next employee or preparing to interview sales candidates, you’ll come away with practical ideas to help you ask better questions, have better conversations and make better hiring decisions.

Next time, we switch to the candidate’s side of the interview table, exploring how to prepare, the questions every interviewee should ask, and the small things that can make a big difference when you’re trying to land the job.

To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com.

Transcript

Why Interviews Matter Right Now

Jeremy Blake 0:31

You are listening to The Reality of Business with Jeremy Blake and my co-host, Bobby Morrell. And today we are going to look at interviews. And I think it's an interesting time, Bobby, because young more young people will enter the workforce, well, largely now, I suppose, school leavers, university grads. And this is often on our minds about people who will be going to interviews. And I think this is interesting for a number of reasons. We've got loads more people entering the workforce, school leavers, university leavers, college leavers. And of course, people after a summer think I might want to change jobs. So we thought we'd do this, didn't we, Bobby? Anything else on the context of this interview to share with our listeners?

Bob Morrell 1:12

Well, I think the other point is that it's quite hard to get an interview these days. So if you are actually called for an interview, especially for a job that's had multiple people applying for it, then that's a pretty good indication if they've actually called you in for that interview. And the last thing you want to do is go in and ruin that opportunity by not being prepared. So we thought if we had a couple of podcasts focused on employers and the questions that they should be asking, and then another one on employees and the kind of questions they should be asking, that might you know create a better outcome for both.

Jeremy Blake 1:51

I think you make a good point. I recently helped a young person get her first proper full-on job in sales, actually. She had various screenings, online interviews, and then had a face-to-face. And I think what you and I have put together is some really good questions. If you've got through the online stuff and you do get a chance to face-to-face, your full personality must come out as well as your other characteristic traits, you know, your credibility, your strength, and your ability to reflect, answer a question, not immediately. That's a sort of big tip, Prince. You have to immediately answer. You can think. All right, Bobby. So we are employers, and I think the slight difference between us, which is good, is you've got some really good general questions to ask people when you're trying to look to employ them. And I've zoned in slightly more on sales, uh, if you were a salesperson.

Bob Morrell 2:39

Well, uh, so the first thing I've got here uh from the employer's point of view is really bad questions that employers should stop asking.

Jeremy Blake 2:48

Great, let's get those out of the way. Okay.

The Worst Interview Questions To Drop

Bob Morrell 2:51

So I'm sure we've all had this. You're sitting there in the interview, Jay, and the prospective employer looks at you with a slight glint in their eye and says, Jeremy, what's your biggest weakness? Oh gosh. That's a terrible question, isn't it? It really is bad, isn't it? That that sort of right, let's go.

Jeremy Blake 3:15

If I said if I said Malbec, would that would that be funny? Benson and Hedges. Would it be an addiction or would it be something sort of slightly perverted? Um right.

Bob Morrell 3:31

Well, that is the worst question. The second worst is one of our favourites. So, Jeremy, where do you see yourself in five years?

Jeremy Blake 3:39

Yeah, I've got a crystal ball at home. I'm very pleased you asked me. I um I'm living in Goring on Thames, actually, in an absolute palatial place. Um five years. Wow. Yeah, so I've actually bought George Michael's old pad. Oh, god, you must be doing fine. This hasn't really gone well for me. And you better.

Bob Morrell 3:57

Yeah, yeah. Well, my next question was should help that. Why should we hire you?

Jeremy Blake 4:03

I mean, we could talk about work, but wouldn't you like to have a drink where George Michael used to live, which is where I'm gonna be in five years?

Bob Morrell 4:11

Very good. Um now, this is really gonna this is gonna come off the uh off the wall for you. So, Jeremy, we'd really like to get a really nice snapshot of our prospective employees. Tell us, if you had to name one, what's your spirit animal?

Jeremy Blake 4:27

I'm so pleased you asked me this. It's great. Um it's great to meet somebody equally spiritual. It's not an exciting animal. Um but it might be an animal that you don't know very well, but very much an anteater.

Bob Morrell 4:40

An anteater.

Jeremy Blake 4:42

Okay. I've got a very thick skin, yet I do require small portions.

Bob Morrell 4:48

Um, in which case, then this should be easy for you. Can you give me three words your friends would use to describe you?

Jeremy Blake 4:56

Um gosh, that's hard. Um I think they're all quite rude.

Bob Morrell 5:05

Now, there's a few others. I mean, some of them are obvious. How do you handle stress? I mean, who's gonna answer that in any other way that I'm fine? Hard drugs. Yeah. Um, are you a hard worker? I mean, imagine if anyone was no god, a bone idle me. I'm a I'm a smart worker.

Jeremy Blake 5:23

I I work smart, not hard, and that's the kind of person you need.

Bob Morrell 5:28

Um, and how about this? So you're planning on staying with us for some years, yeah? Oh, very much so.

Jeremy Blake 5:33

Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I won't be using this in the same way that you are, as I looked at your LinkedIn before I came, and it seems to be that you hop, skip, jump somewhere every two years. I'm afraid you're not gonna fit in here. No, I've rumbled you, haven't I? Do you just leave just before you're found out? Yeah.

When The Interview Turns Hostile

Bob Morrell 5:55

Now, um, that that's so that those are terrible questions from employers. Now I'm just gonna give people one tip. Um so much less so these days, but you do get some employers who absolutely love intensively grilling their candidates and giving them a hard time and putting them under some pressure and see how they cope. Okay, now that's one thing, seeing how somebody copes, but if you're being deliberately unkind and uh quite um uh making your candidates feel uncomfortable, in my opinion, the candidate should leave the interview. You do not have to subject yourself to that. No matter how much you want the job, you need to take back control of that conversation and say, Look, um, I really appreciate your time. I really don't think this is gonna work for us, so I think it's best we we leave this here.

Jeremy Blake 6:49

And I think there's a good reason for that, because if the culture allows that behaviour, then do you really want to be there?

Bob Morrell 6:55

No, you don't.

Jeremy Blake 6:55

If someone is able to go, you know, with a free hand to sort of wield power, and then who's gonna manage you? Why do you have to sort of see? Yeah, you came through that test. Oh dear.

Bob Morrell 7:06

Now, the other thing is that um sometimes employers will be be deliberately difficult in interviews, and you don't have to accept their line of questioning either. You can say, What's made you ask a question like that? What is the objective of the what kind of response do you expect someone to come up with with a question like that? Now it is quite it's quite ballsy, but but the fact is you're a human being who um doesn't have to submit to the kind of strange psychological games that this person has chosen to use. Okay, you wouldn't if it was a friend, you wouldn't if you met someone socially, you would challenge it. And I think in interviews you're perfectly at liberty to do so.

Questions That Show How People Think

Jeremy Blake 7:51

So, shall I ask you some questions? Go for it. So I'm gonna interview your salesperson. Um so, Bobby. Um, I've got various questions that I'd love to ask you, and I'm sure you've got some for me too.

Bob Morrell 8:01

Yeah.

Jeremy Blake 8:02

Um, what do you do to improve your thinking?

Bob Morrell 8:06

Um God, that's a really good question. Yeah, isn't it? Um, I read a lot. Yeah? Um, yeah, I read a lot. What are you reading at the moment? I'm reading a book by Henry Miller, actually, called Ale Retour. Um, about a trip he took to America and a uh a letter, quite a filthy letter that he wrote to a friend of his in Paris, and uh it's really amusing. I'm enjoying it. Is it a short is it a short story or is it a no, it's uh it's a sort of novella, I would say.

Jeremy Blake 8:34

A novella, yeah. Is he the guy who wrote Tropic of Something? Um Tropic of Cancer, yeah. Tropic Cancer, yeah. Yeah. See, we're already getting on because we've known about Miller. Um what else do you do? So reading's one thing. Is there anything else that you do to sort of improve how you think?

Bob Morrell 8:50

Um I listen to uh really interesting podcasts, political ones uh in the main, but also some uh satirical and uh comedic ones. You have a favourite? Oh, the rest is history, is absolutely my favorite. It's wonderful.

Jeremy Blake 9:04

So already we're going off topic. So my first question, what do you do? Improve your thinking, and it bounces around. So I'll give you another one, then you can give me one. Um clearly we're gonna be uh talking to customers, clients, we might be at conferences, you know. I'm wondering if you have a favourite sales story that you think teaches something vital.

Bob Morrell 9:26

That's an excellent question. Yes, it reminds me of the time I once uh believed that I had a sale, but I hadn't actually got the signature on the line. And I told people that it was in the bag, and I had to wait three more weeks for that signature. That was a lesson I'll I've definitely learned. So, what made you think it was over the line? Just things that were said to me and the indications and everything was looking great, but I hadn't quite got the signature, and uh uh that taught me a valuable lesson, which I've done. So you were early celebrating, yeah. Yes, exactly.

Jeremy Blake 10:02

That's good. Great. That'd be a good lesson to tell other people who think they've got things, you know. Yes. Good. Right, shall I have a couple of yours?

Testing Research And Real Motivation

Bob Morrell 10:10

Yeah, um so we're really we're you know, we're really interested in um the the different candidates that come in and and are introduced to what we do. But why are you interested in this role and our company?

Jeremy Blake 10:30

I noticed that when you started in 1872 on the banks of the Elba, your your founder realized a gap in realized a gap in the market. You still seem to be the only person who understands this gap fully, and you have continually innovated to create new things to make you the brand leader. And I think that that must be very hard to do with hundreds of years of you know flying past you with other competitors, but you don't seem to skimp on innovating, and I think that means you're not resting on your laurels. So I'd like to work with an established company because everyone knows the brand, but it's easy to then say in interviews and conversations with people, but you know how we're continually innovating, and there's that innovating story. So I that that was very attractive.

Bob Morrell 11:21

Now, a question like that clearly demonstrates whether the person has done some research into the company, but also can link that to an enthusiasm about it. That's quite key. Now, this one I think is great for any job, but particularly for salespeople.

Time Management That Works In Reality

Bob Morrell 11:40

Jeremy, how do you prioritize competing deadlines and responsibilities?

Jeremy Blake 11:46

I work on getting things over the line first that should be there, rather than be distracted by something shiny and new when it hasn't really even got any kind of you know, it hasn't made a foothold, isn't really going anywhere. So I I don't try to juggle endlessly new things. I try to absolutely close down what I've got existing. But you never completely empty your in tray. So I do realize other things come along. The other thing I did five years ago and I've continued to do, is I have every single day a different timed gap of an hour where I try to manage new things. And if someone rings me, I'll say, Well, I I I've got time between two and three for that. So I try not to be distracted. That's that helps me.

Bob Morrell 12:30

Good. Okay, now these are these are really good questions because time management is important. I would say for any remote role or any role where there are there are there's the option to work from home occasionally, you need people who absolutely understand how to manage their own time. That is really important. If they don't have a strategy for that, the chances are they're not going to be very effective.

Spotting The Biggest Sales Opportunity

Jeremy Blake 12:53

So, shall I give you my last three? Yeah. So I'm gonna put to you three opportunities that I think we have as a business, especially in the territory where you would be selling. I want you to tell me which one you think is the biggest opportunity. Do you think that we could win lots of new customers, more of them? Do you think we can increase the average order value that people are spending with us? Or do you think the biggest opportunity for us is increasing the frequency of the times people buy from us?

Bob Morrell 13:21

Based on what I've seen so far and for the information that I've read about you, uh you do have uh a large loyal uh customer list. Yep. Um so initially my response would be let's see if we can get them purchasing more frequently. However, I just what I don't know enough about is your marketing, and I'm wondering how much you do to attract new clients, and uh that might be something where there's an opportunity.

Jeremy Blake 13:54

Okay, yeah, that's cool. Um, finally, when you have been buying, what is the best sales experience you've had? That's a great question.

Bob Morrell 14:04

That's a really good question. Um, okay. Well, I would say recently um I went to a fantastic restaurant and uh the service was off the charts.

Jeremy Blake 14:15

So um yeah that's one in Ireland that you keep going on about.

Bob Morrell 14:18

Oh my god, that was so good. That was such a great meal. Oh, Ireland's so good for food, it really is. But anyway, no, I take your point. There's the there's there's a very good question. Now, I've got I've got one thing for

The Classic Car Close Technique

Bob Morrell 14:31

you. Um now this is uh the the reason I'm gonna talk about this now is because this does come from the employee's perspective, but I want to talk about it from the point of view of a salesperson coming to the end of an interview, okay? So you're the employer and you're gonna tell me that uh you really enjoyed meeting me. You've got a few more people to see, and you'll be in touch soon. Okay, so give me that line.

Jeremy Blake 14:54

So just for context, we're coming to the we finished all of our questions. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Well, look, I want to thank you for coming in from uh Lewis. Quite a trek you've come in today. Um, we are seeing other candidates, but only two more, and I think we will get back in touch. It's gonna probably be Tuesday. Okay, okay. Wishing you a great journey.

Bob Morrell 15:15

Just before, just before we say goodbye, can I just ask you a couple of really important questions?

Jeremy Blake 15:20

Yeah, sure.

Bob Morrell 15:21

Um do you think I could do this job for you?

Jeremy Blake 15:26

Yes, I do. Yes, I do.

Bob Morrell 15:27

Okay, well, that's good. And you're confident from what you've seen today that that is definitely the case?

Jeremy Blake 15:32

Yes, very much so. Okay. We're just honouring the fact we've got, you know, a couple more people to see.

Bob Morrell 15:37

I understand. Let me ask you another question. Do you have uh a dream car that you've never owned that you would love to own?

Jeremy Blake 15:44

I do, yes, I do.

Bob Morrell 15:46

What is it?

Jeremy Blake 15:48

Uh well, you might laugh at it, but uh it's uh it's called a citron DS, and I would like one of the first ones that came off the production line. And you can actually get them in France where they're convertible. So that these beautiful beautiful convertible tank citron DS.

Bob Morrell 16:04

And and what colour would you like it to come in?

Jeremy Blake 16:06

There's only one colour you should have a DS in.

Bob Morrell 16:09

Which is what you know. I don't know anything about citron DS, but tell me the colour you'd love.

Jeremy Blake 16:14

It's burgundy.

Bob Morrell 16:16

Okay, so imagine you're standing in a in a beautiful classic car showroom and there's a burgundy DS convertible, one of the first created. Beautiful colour, it's been really restored to a very, very high standard, okay, and it's within your price range. Okay? Great. Now you can see that. You can see that car, you can see it in your brain. Okay. Are you going to leave that showroom and go and see a few other classic class showrooms over the next few weeks and see if they've got anything better, or are you probably gonna try and do a deal on that citron?

Jeremy Blake 16:58

It is very good, Bobby. I I think I need to counsel the other two people I'm seeing. I I think you'd be great with us.

Bob Morrell 17:03

Okay. Okay.

Jeremy Blake 17:05

It's very nice.

Bob Morrell 17:06

Do you like that?

Jeremy Blake 17:07

Yes, lovely. Yeah, lovely.

Bob Morrell 17:08

And I I think I think that if you're going for any kind of sales job, you must try and close it.

Jeremy Blake 17:15

I want to go and buy the DS now. Isn't that clever though? I saw a DS yesterday because you don't see it, you know the big car. DeGaulle had it. De Gaulle had the cars, yes, of course. They're the jackal. They started to convert them, they actually took the roof off them a couple of companies in France, one in England. And they are extraordinary, luxurious cars.

Bob Morrell 17:38

And the great thing about um those early citrons, and any of them, including the two TV, you can drive over any sleeping policeman in the road, and you'll feel very little because the suspension's so good, you know. That's right, yeah. So there

Next Episode Tease And Training Link

Bob Morrell 17:52

we are. Well, look, that that I think is a very nice place to end our first podcast on interviews. Uh, please tune in for the next one where we're gonna look at it from the employee's point of view, the questions that the employee should be asking. But for now.

Jeremy Blake 18:05

Not just the two questions that Bobby got in at the end, sort of on the quick, where the person was slightly off guard. We're gonna look at what you might ask in a prepared state.

Bob Morrell 18:15

And also, I would say um, you know, if anyone's interested, um, if there are a number of classic car websites where Citroen DSs can definitely be found. Okay, I'll see you on the next one, mate. Cheers. Bye. This podcast comes from Reality Training. For the last 25 years, we've transformed the customer interactions of many leading UK businesses and developed thousands of managers to be better at what they do. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organization, go to reality training.com.