Interviewing for Resilience: Techniques to Assess Adaptability
Determining a candidate's resilience is a crucial part of the interview process, and to shed light on this, we've gathered insights from founders and human resources managers alike. From posing a challenging final question to seeking evidence of problem-solving skills, here are six expert strategies for assessing resilience during interviews.
- Pose a Challenging Final Question
- Inquire About Challenges and Assess Demeanor
- Introduce Hypothetical Scenarios
- Identify Self-Awareness and Communication Skills
- Ask About Overcoming Setbacks Under Pressure
- Seek Evidence of Problem-Solving Skills
Pose a Challenging Final Question
In my previous role as a hiring manager, I used to reserve one hard question for the end of the interview, if a candidate cleared all the technical questions. The idea of the question was not to see if they could solve the unsolvable, but to see how they conducted themselves when faced with a challenge they couldn't solve.
I found that resilient candidates gave their best shot and stayed optimistic, instead of quickly dismissing or resigning. Some of the candidates even solved it post-interview, and reached out with their answer. Not coincidentally, they were also my best hires.
Siddhartha Gunti, Co-founder, Adaface
Inquire About Challenges and Assess Demeanor
Assessing a candidate's resilience during interviews involves asking questions about how they've handled past challenges. For example, asking them to describe a situation where they've experienced failure, and how they responded, can provide insight into their adaptability and problem-solving skills. You can also present hypothetical scenarios to see how they might approach adversity.
In general, observing an applicant's demeanor during the interview process is important. Make note of how they respond under pressure. Are they calm and composed, or do they exhibit signs of stress? You can also look at their education and career history to reveal patterns of overcoming obstacles.
For example, I've asked candidates to share how they learned from project failures and how they used that experience to lead a team to a successful outcome. Their responses give me insight into their ability to take responsibility, learn from mistakes, and remain persistent. It's a great way to determine strong candidates and influence hiring decisions.
Samantha Swart, Human Resources Manager, McKean Smith
Introduce Hypothetical Scenarios
Assessing a candidate's resilience during interviews involves a combination of behavioral questions, follow-up probes, and sometimes hypothetical scenarios to gauge how they have dealt with adversity in the past and how they might handle future challenges.
The decision is influenced by identifying if the candidate is someone who not only handled significant challenges effectively but also grew from the experience. This is a critical factor in selecting them for a high-pressure, target-driven role.
Rayn Bonus, Talent Acquisition Manager, Offshore MVP
Identify Self-Awareness and Communication Skills
One thing that always stands out for me when assessing resilience is when the candidate acknowledges their nerves, their challenge with a question, their inability to answer a question, and/or being upfront with not having specific experience (and even better when they move this one into a transferable skill or experience).
When candidates show this level of self-awareness and communication, it shows me that they understand their limitations and aren't scared to reach out for support or look for alternatives.
Resilience doesn't occur in a vacuum; building relationships builds resilience.
Brittany Brazell, Human Resources Manager, Our Children's Trust
Ask About Overcoming Setbacks Under Pressure
One good technique that I look to apply is asking them behavioral questions, like probing them about previous experiences with adversities and how they came through them.
For example, "Can you tell me about a time when you had a major work setback, and how you handled the situation?" This will push a candidate to give an example of such a situation where problem-solving, emotional stability, or dealing with difficulties in decision-making comes into the picture.
In an incident during the recruitment of project managers, I interviewed one of the candidates who explained his situation at a certain time when a key project he was heading was struck by unexpected technical issues, only a few days before the deadline. He mentioned that it was at such times that he kept calm, quickly put together a cross-functional team, and came up with a contingency plan, focusing on the reassignment of resources and working overtime to deliver the project on time. Their ability to navigate this high-pressure situation demonstrated not only resilience, but also leadership and effective crisis management.
This one made a huge difference for us. His experience and attitude toward overcoming adversities made us believe that he truly is resilient enough when confronting the role of a project manager, where things are tough and sometimes massive in terms of change. So we did extend the offer, and subsequent to that, they've been doing well; thus, they've been able to lead a number of high-stakes projects to successful completion under an extremely tight deadline.
Kwame McGill, Founder & Owner, Chimney And Stone Masonry LLC.
Seek Evidence of Problem-Solving Skills
Assessing a candidate's resilience during interviews involves probing into their ability to overcome challenges and setbacks, as well as their adaptability in the face of adversity.
As a founder deeply involved in recruitment for my legal process outsourcing company, I often seek examples from a candidate's past experiences that demonstrate resilience.
One instance that I remember clearly was when we were interviewing a candidate for a project management role. During the interview, we asked about a time when they encountered a significant obstacle on a project and how they handled it.
The candidate recounted a situation where a critical deadline was unexpectedly moved up, causing chaos within the team. Instead of panicking, they calmly reassessed priorities, delegated tasks effectively, and rallied the team to meet the new deadline successfully. Their ability to maintain composure under pressure and find solutions impressed us, and it greatly influenced our decision to hire them.
This real-life example underscores the importance of resilience in our fast-paced industry and how it can significantly impact hiring decisions.
Aseem Jha, Founder, Legal Consulting Pro