The New York Times has a feature by Adam Bryant in the Friday and Sunday's business section called "Corner Office." They often ask CEOs "How do you hire?", who usually tell what questions they ask candidates, or what questions they want answered. I created a list of those questions for inspiration.
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Mary Laschinger of Veritiv Are they a team player? Are they an egomaniac? Are they here to help the enterprise succeed? Will they help their colleagues succeed? Or is it just about them and their team?
Jan Singer from Spanx How have you built teams? What frustrates you? What happens when you get frustrated? What was the biggest mistake you made and what happened after? How did you respond?
Patty Stonesifer from Martha’s Table How did you go around it? What did you do?
Kathleen Finch from HGTV, Food Network and Travel Channel What do you watch?
Don Charlton from Jazz What things in your work or personal life have led you to believe that now is the right time for a career shift?
Kevin Lofton from Catholic Health Initiatives How do you do business?
Peter Miller from Optinose What did you do?
Jim Dolce from Lookout What do you want to know about the company?
Lori Senecal from C.P.&B. and the MDC Partner Network What have you invented?
Lori Dickerson Fouché from Prudential Group Insurance What kind of cultures do you like to work in? Where do you excel? How do you excel?
Sue Desmond-Hellmann from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation How has your career path brought you to this point? What did you accomplish in different roles? What about disappointments?
Andy Bryant from Intel Which classes were your best classes?
Brent Frei from Smartsheet.com What would your enemies say about you? What would they say?
Anne Williams-Isom from Harlem Children’s Zone What do you think your weaknesses are?
Alastair Mitchell from Huddle What are you most proud of in your life?
Penny Herscher from FirstRain How do you grow your employees?
Steven Mollenkopf from Qualcomm Why do they want to talk to me? What do they really want to do?
Jane Park from Julep Are they going to be my partner and be able to see the strategic issue as well as how to execute on it? Are they interested and engaged and curious about it?
Lindsey Ueberroth from Preferred Hotel Group What experience do they have? Do they seem motivated and passionate?
Julie Myers Wood from Guidepost Solutions How have you pulled yourself up in some way?
Kat Cole from Cinnabon How do you interact with people in the waiting area? What is the one characteristic that they totally dig about you?
Kevin Tracey from Feinstein Institute for Medical Research What do you want to do? What did you do on your previous jobs? Where? What time did you get to the lab? What did you do at the lab bench?
Joanne Rohde from Axial Exchange Why are you here? Was there something you went for?
Carl Galioto from HOK How are you seen in the industry? Who knows you? How do you resolve client issues? How did you work on this particular team?
Michelle Peluso from Gilt Groupe What would success look like to you?
Brad Smith from Intuit Why would you not join our company?
Tom Erickson from Acquia How do they work with others in difficult situations? How are you going to deal with that?
Shawn Jenkins from Benefitfocus Or do they believe that things are happening to them and against them?
Jeff Lawson from Twilio What do you want to learn next? What are the properties of the next role you want?
John W. Rogers Jr. from Ariel Investments What do they think about it?
Karen Abramson from Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting Can you be strategic and can you get the job done?
Penny Pritzker from Secretary of Commerce Do they have a lot of energy? Are they passionate? Do you want to be traveling with that person?
Jeremy Zimmer from United Talent Agency Do you have brothers and sisters? Where did you go to college? Why did you decide to go there?
Bernard J. Tyson from Kaiser Permanente What really stands out for you? What do you want me to understand in your story here? How do you relate to people? How do you get people excited about doing something?
link | image | person | company | questions they ask to job candidates | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/27/business/jan-singer-of-spanx-using-votes-to-guide-a-group.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/09/27/business/27-CORNER/27-CORNER-moth.jpg | Jan Singer | Spanx | How have you built teams? | What frustrates you? | What happens when you get frustrated? | What was the biggest mistake you made and what happened after? | How did you respond? | ||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/13/business/patty-stonesifer-of-marthas-table-zigzag-your-way-to-the-top.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/09/13/business/13-CORNER/13-CORNER-moth.jpg | Patty Stonesifer | Martha’s Table | How did you go around it? | What did you do? | |||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/06/business/kathleen-finch-get-better-ideas-with-a-pile-on-meeting.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/09/06/business/06-CORNER/06-CORNER-moth.jpg | Kathleen Finch | HGTV, Food Network and Travel Channel | What do you watch? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/business/don-charlton-of-jazz-on-the-power-of-candid-questions.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/08/16/business/16CORNER/CORNER-moth.jpg | Don Charlton | Jazz | What things in your work or personal life have led you to believe that now is the right time for a career shift? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/business/kevin-e-lofton-of-catholic-health-initiatives-designate-a-devils-advocate.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/08/09/business/CORNER/CORNER-moth-v3.jpg | Kevin Lofton | Catholic Health Initiatives | How do you do business? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/19/business/peter-miller-of-optinose-to-work-here-win-the-nice-vote.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/07/19/business/19-CORNER/19-CORNER-moth.jpg | Peter Miller | Optinose | What did you do? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/21/business/jim-dolce-of-lookout-on-achieving-breakthroughs-in-small-bites.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/06/21/business/21-CORNER/21-CORNER-moth-v2.jpg | Jim Dolce | Lookout | What do you want to know about the company? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/24/business/lori-senecal-on-coaching-when-the-bar-is-high.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-CORNER/24-CORNER-moth.jpg | Lori Senecal | C.P.&B. and the MDC Partner Network | What have you invented? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/business/lori-dickerson-fouche-of-prudential-on-the-limits-of-self-reliance.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/05/17/business/17-CORNER/17-CORNER-moth.jpg | Lori Dickerson Fouché | Prudential Group Insurance | What kind of cultures do you like to work in? | Where do you excel? | How do you excel? | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/business/helping-people-find-their-sweet-spot.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/04/26/business/26-CORNER/26-CORNER-moth-v2.jpg | Sue Desmond-Hellmann | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | How has your career path brought you to this point? | What did you accomplish in different roles? | What about disappointments? | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/business/at-work-dont-just-check-off-boxes.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2015/04/12/business/12CORNER/12-CORNER-moth.jpg | Andy Bryant | Intel | Which classes were your best classes? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/28/business/brent-frei-of-smartsheetcom-a-good-excuse-doesnt-fix-a-problem.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/12/28/business/28-CORNER/28-CORNER-moth.jpg | Brent Frei | Smartsheet.com | What would your enemies say about you? | What would they say? | |||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/business/corner-office-the-importance-of-straight-talk.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/12/07/business/7-CORNER/7-CORNER-moth.jpg | Anne Williams-Isom | Harlem Children’s Zone | What do you think your weaknesses are? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/23/business/corner-office-alastair-mitchell-on-running-with-your-dreams.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/11/23/business/23-CORNER/23-CORNER-moth.jpg | Alastair Mitchell | Huddle | What are you most proud of in your life? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/business/penny-herscher-of-firstrain-what-parents-can-teach-a-ceo.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/09/28/business/28-CORNER/28-CORNER-moth.jpg | Penny Herscher | FirstRain | How do you grow your employees? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/business/steven-mollenkopf-of-qualcomm-if-you-dont-know-just-say-so.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/09/21/business/21-CORNER/21-CORNER-thumbStandard.jpg | Steven Mollenkopf | Qualcomm | Why do they want to talk to me? | What do they really want to do? | |||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/business/corner-office-jane-park-of-julep-to-succeed-fly-like-a-bumblebee.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/09/07/business/07CORNER/7-CORNER-moth.jpg | Jane Park | Julep | Are they going to be my partner and be able to see the strategic issue as well as how to execute on it? | Are they interested and engaged and curious about it? | |||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/31/business/lindsey-ueberroth-of-preferred-hotels-when-running-a-meeting-speak-last.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/08/31/business/31-CORNER/31-CORNER-moth.jpg | Lindsey Ueberroth | Preferred Hotel Group | What experience do they have? | Do they seem motivated and passionate? | |||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/business/corner-office-julie-myers-wood-eat-your-sushi-and-expand-your-horizons.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/08/24/business/24-CORNER/24-CORNER-moth.jpg | Julie Myers Wood | Guidepost Solutions | How have you pulled yourself up in some way? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/20/business/corner-office-kat-cole-of-cinnabon-questioning-success-more-than-failure.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/07/20/business/20-CORNER/20-CORNER-moth.jpg | Kat Cole | Cinnabon | How do you interact with people in the waiting area? | What is the one characteristic that they totally dig about you? | |||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/06/business/corner-office-kevin-tracey-on-putting-it-together-after-taking-it-apart.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/07/06/business/06-CORNER/06-CORNER-moth.jpg | Kevin Tracey | Feinstein Institute for Medical Research | What do you want to do? | What did you do on your previous jobs? | Where? | What time did you get to the lab? | What did you do at the lab bench? | ||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/29/business/corner-office-joanne-rohde-on-knowing-when-to-get-in-and-to-get-out.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/06/29/business/29-CORNER/29-CORNER-moth.jpg | Joanne Rohde | Axial Exchange | Why are you here? | Was there something you went for? | |||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/business/carl-galioto-on-sweeping-away-the-negative-energy.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/05/11/business/11-CORNER/11-CORNER-moth.jpg | Carl Galioto | HOK | How are you seen in the industry? | Who knows you? | How do you resolve client issues? | How did you work on this particular team? | |||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/business/michelle-peluso-of-gilt-groupe-i-dont-need-an-ivory-tower-or-an-office.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/04/20/business/20-CORNER/20-CORNER-moth.jpg | Michelle Peluso | Gilt Groupe | What would success look like to you? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/business/brad-smith-of-intuit-follow-the-fastest-beat-of-your-heart.html?ref=business | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/04/13/business/13-CORNER/13-CORNER-thumbStandard-v2.jpg | Brad Smith | Intuit | Why would you not join our company? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/business/tom-erickson-of-acquia-on-the-philosophy-of-ready-fire-aim.html?ref=business | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/03/30/business/30-CORNER/30-CORNER-moth.jpg | Tom Erickson | Acquia | How do they work with others in difficult situations? | How are you going to deal with that? | |||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/16/business/shawn-jenkins-of-benefitfocus-a-ceo-is-like-a-flight-instructor.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/03/16/business/16-CORNER/16-CORNER-moth.jpg | Shawn Jenkins | Benefitfocus | Or do they believe that things are happening to them and against them? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/09/business/jeff-lawson-of-twilio-when-ideas-collide-dont-duck.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/03/09/business/09-CORNER/09-CORNER-thumbLarge.jpg | Jeff Lawson | Twilio | What do you want to learn next? | What are the properties of the next role you want? | |||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/16/business/a-great-teammate-is-a-great-listener.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/02/16/business/16-CORNER/16-CORNER-moth.jpg | John W. Rogers Jr. | Ariel Investments | What do they think about it? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/business/karen-abramson-on-going-to-the-front-lines.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/01/05/business/05-CORNER/05-CORNER-thumbStandard.jpg | Karen Abramson | Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting | Can you be strategic and can you get the job done? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/22/business/penny-pritzker-on-hearing-the-whole-story.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/12/22/business/22-CORNER/22-CORNER-thumbStandard.jpg | Penny Pritzker | Secretary of Commerce | Do they have a lot of energy? | Are they passionate? | Do you want to be traveling with that person? | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/business/jeremy-zimmer-of-united-talent-agency-on-accepting-ideas.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/12/15/business/15-CORNER/15-CORNER-thumbStandard.jpg | Jeremy Zimmer | United Talent Agency | Do you have brothers and sisters? | Where did you go to college? | Why did you decide to go there? | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/business/bernard-tyson-of-kaiser-permanente-on-speaking-your-mind.html | http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/11/10/business/10-CORNER/10-CORNER-thumbStandard.jpg | Bernard J. Tyson | Kaiser Permanente | What really stands out for you? | What do you want me to understand in your story here? | How do you relate to people? | How do you get people excited about doing something? |