Hire better Millennial talent by asking these interview questions that are directly related to Millennials' top shortcomings.
Over the last six years as a Millennial keynote speaker and trainer, I've heard first hand from my clients about all of the shortcomings they've noticed in their Millennial workforces. I recently boiled those shortcomings down to eight different shortcomings and highlighted how Millennials can overcome them.
The eight shortcomings that Millennials are susceptible to are: poor work ethic, devalue face-to-face communication, career impatience, frequently job hop, dependent on feedback, fixated on flexibility, lack of experience, and act entitled.
For the organizations that want to be more proactive in the recruiting process to identify if a Millennial candidate has any of the eight shortcomings, ask these interview questions.
1. Poor Work Ethic
- Tell me about a time when you put in overtime to accomplish a difficult goal. What was driving you?
- Have you ever held a job you didn't like and/or work at a time that was difficult for you, like early in the morning or late at night? How did you handle that?
2. Devalue Face-to-Face Communication
- Tell me about a time you had to handle a difficult situation with a colleague or customer.
- Tell me about your last employer's policy on cell phone use. Did you find any aspects of the policy challenging?
3. Career Impatience
- Walk me through your thought process and timeline for entering this career field?
- What role do you expect to have in five years?
4. Frequently Job Hop
- Tell me about a time that a career change or promotion took longer than expected. How did you adjust?
- How long do you anticipate being in your next job role?
5. Dependent on Feedback
- How do you like to receive feedback, and how often?
- What kind of relationship do you expect to have with your manager?
6. Fixated on Flexibility
- Describe a good day in the office. How do you spend your time? Where are you?
- Would you rather work at home, in a traditional office, or in an office with an open floor plan?
7. Lack of Experience
- What have you done in the past that will help you do this job?
- What do you read or listen to every day to get your news or grow professionally?
8. Act Entitled
- Tell me about a time you were passed up for an award or promotion you felt you deserved. How did you react?
- Tell me about a time when you failed. How did you handle it?
I help companies better lead, engage, train, and sell to Millennials and Generation Z. If you’d like help solving tough generational challenges inside your organization, click here.
