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The ve most revealing job

interview ques ons
By Marillyn Hewson
Sep 26 2014

One of the most important things I do as a leader is choosing the people

who will join our team. Finding the right person to lead a group, manage a
project, or fill a key position is critical to the success of any
organization. And its not easy.
Resumes are useful for showing the skills and qualifications of a
candidate, but they dont tell the whole story. Effective interviews are the
real key to understanding if someone has the strategic thinking, leadership
skills and collaborative approach that will deliver results.
When I interview prospective employees, I look for a proven track record
and specific experiences that I believe indicate future success. At the
same time, I also probe to see if the individual is aligned with our
corporate values and will fit with our culture.
Here are the five interview questions I have found most usefuland what
I look for in a candidates answers:

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16/11/2014

The five most revealing job interview questions - Forum:Blog Forum:Blog | The World Economic Forum

1. How did you spend the first 90 days of your previous job?
The best employees are those who bring real energy and initiative to the
job. I like to know whether youre the kind of person who can set priorities,
take initiative and drive results right from the beginning.
This is why I like to ask how you approached your last job. Im looking for
specific examples of how you got to understand the organization and
integrate with the team. I want to hear about your early wins,
accomplishments and successes. Learning about how you tackled the
early days of your last job gives me a good indication of how you will hit
the ground running if you were to join my team.
2. What is the biggest challenge youve faced and how did you
handle it?
The actual challenge and solution arent so important. Im more interested
in how you worked through the problem. Candidates need to demonstrate
strategic thinking and strong problem solving skills. And, just as
importantly, they need to know when and how to ask for help.
Did you engage your teammates in implementing a solution? Did you work
with your customer to make sure everyone was on board? Did you keep
your leadership informed early so there were no surprises? These
answers tell me how you deal with issues, address problems and manage
stakeholders.
3. How would the people youve worked with describe you?
What would your boss, colleagues, and customers say if I asked them
what its like to work with you? Are you a team player or a lone operator?
Are you a big picture person or do you focus on the details? Do you have
high standards of integrity or do you bend the rules to get things done
faster?
Im looking for answers that demonstrate the leadership qualities and
personal values that we seek in our top performers. At Lockheed Martin,
we call this Full Spectrum Leadership and it consists of five imperatives:
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16/11/2014

The five most revealing job interview questions - Forum:Blog Forum:Blog | The World Economic Forum

We look for leaders who can shape the future by establishing

goals and laying out a plan to achieve them;
We also want our people to build effective relationships, whether
theyre with colleagues, employees, or customers;
We want leaders who can energize the team, engaging and
inspiring others to do their best work;
We need people that deliver results, understand our strategy and
meet their commitments;
And most importantly, we want people who model personal
excellence, integrity and accountability in all that they do.
These qualities are especially important at Lockheed Martin, though they
should serve you well in almost any role. No matter what field youre in, it
always pays to have a full spectrum leader on the team.
4. What is one area youd like to improve and what are you doing
about it?
Of course, no one is perfect and I would never hire someone who thinks
that they are. Yet a great employee goes beyond simply being aware of
their shortcomings, they are actively working on them. Are you working
with a coach or mentor? Have you taken a public speaking class? Do you
engage in 360-degree feedback sessions? We all have things wed like to
work on, and I want to see that you have the drive to better yourself, grow
professionally and continue to learn.
5. Why should I hire you?
I like to end an interview with this simple question. The best candidates
make a strong case for themselves. They can clearly articulate why they
are the best choice for the job and they can tell me what unique qualities
they bring that no one else can offer. I want to see confidence in ones
capabilities with awareness of ones opportunities for growth. This is no
time to be shy; its the time to be your own best advocate.
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16/11/2014

The five most revealing job interview questions - Forum:Blog Forum:Blog | The World Economic Forum

These are my favorite interview questions what are yours? What

questions have you found particularly useful or revealing, either as the
interviewer or the interviewee?
Published in collaboration with LinkedIn.
Author: Marillyn A. Hewson is Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation.
Image: Unemployed Belgian Mohamed Sammar (R) answers questions
during a simulated job interview, which is recorded to help him get
feedback afterwards in Brussels July 2, 2013. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir.
Posted by Marillyn Hewson - 01:53
All opinions expressed are those of the author. The World Economic Forum Blog is an independent and neutral platform dedicated
to generating debate around the key topics that shape global, regional and industry agendas.
Employment
Society

Improvement

Initiative

Interviews

Leadership

Personal Values

Priorities

Problem Solving

Strategic Thinking

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