Here's how you can incorporate problem-solving in the hiring process.
Hiring the right talent is crucial for your company's success, and integrating problem-solving evaluations into the hiring process can provide valuable insights into a candidate's abilities. You want team members who can not only perform their daily tasks but also tackle unexpected challenges with confidence and creativity. This article will guide you on how to weave problem-solving assessments seamlessly into your interviews and selection criteria, ensuring you pick the best candidates who are as adept at thinking on their feet as they are at fulfilling their roles.
Before you can assess a candidate's problem-solving skills, you must first identify the specific challenges they might face in the role. Consider what types of problems are common in the position and what skills would be required to solve them effectively. This could range from technical know-how to creative thinking or even interpersonal conflict resolution. Having a clear understanding of these needs will help you tailor your interview questions and tasks to effectively evaluate each candidate's problem-solving capabilities.
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Sakshi Chhabra
Corporate Director - Corporate Sales
In assessing candidates' problem-solving skills, it's crucial to consider a broader view beyond technical prowess. Today's work environments demand adaptability, resilience, and innovative critical thinking. Look for individuals who exhibit a growth mindset, embrace learning from experiences, and excel in collaboration and effective communication. This inclusive approach unveils how candidates can make meaningful contributions and thrive in the role.
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Alexandra Constantin
Head of Delivery Operations | Driving Operational Excellence
In the construction and project management industry, it's crucial to assess candidates' problem-solving abilities in realistic settings. Crafting scenarios that mirror challenges encountered on construction sites or during project execution is key. From resolving unexpected delays to managing resource constraints, these scenarios allow candidates to demonstrate their problem-solving prowess in contexts relevant to the role.
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Umang Mehta
25x LinkedIn Top Voice 🏆 | Global Delivery Head | CISO | CISA | Global Thought Leader Top 10 IT Leadership | Global Top 50 CyberSecurity | SOC Expert | CySA+ | GICAST | PCI DSS | DFE | EHE | Writer | Researcher
Identify role-specific challenges to evaluate problem-solving skills effectively. Determine the skills needed for the position, such as technical expertise or interpersonal abilities. Tailor interview questions to assess candidates' problem-solving capabilities in alignment with the role's requirements.
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Rahul Gupta
Leadership | Network Automation | Strategic thinking | Service Delivery | SDN | Cloud | NFV | SDWAN | Data Center | Mobility 4G, 5G networks | Agile Practitioner | ITIL
A "problem" is a situation when the already defined course of actions and processes doesn't provide expected solution. There is no one-fits-all solution can be divised for upcoming challenges. Instead ask questions based on the previously faced problems. Compare the candidate answer with actions taken during that time and you will get a fair idea on candidate thinking and approach towards problem solving.
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Saba Awan
Assistant Lead Security aka Assistant Security Manager, SIRA Certified, Nebosh Certified, Departmental Trainer
A comprehensive job description should clearly outline every facet of the role, enabling candidates to prepare their responses and clarify any uncertainties. It should be transparent and devoid of any hidden or unexpected elements.
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Philip Gyimah Appiah
I provide strategic cybersecurity and business solutions and innovations. I am a Certified Ethical Hacker and the Founder & CEO of Ideation Axis.
Incorporate problem-solving in the hiring process by including scenario-based questions in interviews. Assess candidates' ability to analyze situations and propose solutions. Use practical exercises or case studies to evaluate problem-solving skills firsthand. Consider past experiences and accomplishments as indicators of problem-solving aptitude. Additionally, seek feedback from interview panels to ensure fair evaluation. By integrating problem-solving assessments, organizations can identify candidates who demonstrate critical thinking and creativity, ultimately enhancing the quality of their hires.
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Honey Bansal
IGBC AP | Assistant Manager - Project Planning, Engineering & Execution, Infra
I had a interveiw two years ago with one of the IT giant. In that interview they give me a pseudo scenario based on their past experiences and asked me to give a actionable suggestion to check my problem solving aptitude. Hence, I can say one of the most remarkable technique to assess any candidates' skills is giving them a situation and look for particular skills in the answer. This is not new, actually it happens in many recruitment of top governmental positions in India where they present a picture to candidates & ask them to write their opinion to what they are seeing. Picture perception test is not different with assessing problem solving skills in corporate interviews because quick reaction to any situation is the only correct answer.
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Crystal Mann
I used a technique where I would start talking personally with the candidate. Id state a problem I was having and ask for their advice. Their eagerness and creative ideas were always better exemplified when actively helping vs. in the spot lite to answer a test question perfectly.
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Jak Brown
Operations Manager at Cerebral Palsy Alliance
'Problem solving' is just someone's ability to breakdown a problem into manageable steps to achieve a positive outcome. During the hiring process, candidates just have to be able to show that they can approach problems with an open mind, they don't have to know the answers to everything, they just have to know how to get the answers, or get to someone who would knows the answers.
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Carla Tapullima
Planner en MARCO Peruana | Gestión del tiempo y organización | Ingeniera Industrial | CIP N° 236477
Definir las necesidades es el primer paso crucial en cualquier proceso de contratación. Esto implica identificar claramente las habilidades y competencias específicas que el puesto requiere, especialmente aquellas relacionadas con la resolución de problemas. Al delinear estas necesidades desde el principio, se asegura que todos los involucrados en el proceso de selección estén alineados y enfocados en buscar candidatos que puedan abordar y resolver los desafíos típicos del puesto. Esto también ayuda a establecer criterios claros de evaluación y a diseñar pruebas y escenarios adecuados para evaluar la capacidad de resolución de problemas.
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Gihan S. Wickramasinghe
Founder | Director at CGS Future International (Pvt) Ltd. MBA (USJP -SL), PgDBM (UOC - SL), Expert in Microfinance (Frankfurt), MCPM
Here are several strategies to effectively integrate problem-solving in the hiring process: Job-Specific Problem Scenarios: Case Studies: Real-World Problems: Technical Tests: Hypothetical Questions: Pose hypothetical problems and ask candidates how they would resolve them. This helps evaluate their thought process and creativity. Group Activities: Group Discussions: Facilitate group discussions where candidates collaboratively solve a problem. This not only assesses problem-solving skills but also teamwork and communication. Team-Based Projects: Assign a short project that requires teamwork to solve a complex issue, observing how candidates interact and contribute.
Once you've identified the types of problems your candidate might encounter, create hypothetical scenarios that mirror these challenges. These should be relevant and realistic, allowing you to observe how candidates approach a problem, think critically, and apply their knowledge. By presenting them with these scenarios during the interview, you can gain insights into their thought processes and problem-solving strategies, which are often more telling than their resume or experience alone.
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Umang Mehta
25x LinkedIn Top Voice 🏆 | Global Delivery Head | CISO | CISA | Global Thought Leader Top 10 IT Leadership | Global Top 50 CyberSecurity | SOC Expert | CySA+ | GICAST | PCI DSS | DFE | EHE | Writer | Researcher
Crafting scenarios tailored to the challenges the candidate may face is a valuable interview strategy. Develop realistic hypothetical situations that mirror potential job scenarios to assess candidates' problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and practical application of knowledge. Presenting these scenarios during the interview offers valuable insights into how candidates approach challenges, showcasing their thought processes and problem-solving strategies. This method provides a deeper understanding of a candidate's capabilities beyond what is outlined in their resume or based on experience alone.
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Anurag Choudhury
Chief Of Staff at Manjushree Spntek.
When we look forward to a hiring, we mostly have a defined problem set(s) which the role may need to address. I always prefer crafting a hypothetical and creative yet practical scenario which allows the candidate to think out of box and provide new solutions for the same. This not only helps on testing the problem solving ability, but also demonstrates a person's reaction and behaviour under pressure situation.
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Carla Tapullima
Planner en MARCO Peruana | Gestión del tiempo y organización | Ingeniera Industrial | CIP N° 236477
Los escenarios de artesanía son ejercicios diseñados para evaluar cómo los candidatos abordan problemas específicos y relevantes para el puesto. Estos escenarios permiten observar directamente el pensamiento crítico y la metodología del candidato al enfrentar situaciones complejas. Al crear estos escenarios, es importante que sean representativos de los desafíos reales que el candidato encontrará en el trabajo. Esto no solo proporciona una visión precisa de las habilidades del candidato, sino que también les da una idea clara de lo que pueden esperar en su rol.
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Brijesh M Purohit
Empowering Success: Entrepreneur | Author | Business & Property Mentor
Crafting specific scenarios ensures that the assessments are directly relevant to the job. This relevance helps in accurately gauging the candidate's ability to handle real-world challenges they will face in the position. Candidates who perform well in scenario-based assessments are likely to handle actual job challenges effectively. This predictive aspect improves the chances of selecting candidates who will perform well in the role. By crafting specific scenarios tailored to the role, you can enhance the effectiveness of your hiring process. This approach not only helps in evaluating all candidates at the same level but also ensures that the assessments are relevant and predictive of actual job performance.
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Cheryl Klein
Certified Software Tester | Software QA Test | Agile SDLC | Customer Focused | Functional Manual Test | Exploratory Test | And Dog Mom!
In recent interviews the best questions I've seen are ones like "how would you log a bug if the app crashed" or "what if a dev returns a bug saying it isn't really a bug, what would you do". Specific enough scenarios that I can answer, but open enough that I can pull from my experience to provide that answer. I think vague, open-ended questions (how do you log a bug) often lead to "it depends" and my guessing at an experience I've had that may match the intent of what they want to learn about how I work.
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Teslim Onafuye
Operations Manager at Munchmate
An example have seen is painting a scenario to the question and the scenario was solved in another way I was expecting and this helped me add to my archives of solving that particular problem, because there are 3 points to a coin, every situation has many solutions, so as an interviewer, painting a scenario is mutually helpful.
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Gustavo Gonçalves Nascimento
Especialista em Desenvolvimento Profissional e Gestão de Equipes | Excelência em Treinamento e RH | Rotinas administrativas do terceiro setor
Desenvolva cenários de resolução de problemas que imitem situações reais que o candidato encontrará no cargo. Peça aos candidatos para descrever como abordariam o problema, quais estratégias utilizariam e como avaliariam o sucesso de sua solução.
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Ashley Snyder
CEO @ Elite Industrial Solutions LLC
Crafting scenarios for interviews is crucial in assessing a candidate's problem-solving skills. Once you've identified the common challenges of the role, develop hypothetical situations that reflect these issues. This approach allows you to observe how candidates analyze a problem, think critically, and apply their knowledge in a controlled environment. Present these scenarios during the interview to gauge their thought processes and strategies. Such practical assessments often provide deeper insights into a candidate's capabilities than their resume or stated experience alone, revealing their real-world application skills and creativity in tackling challenges.
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Bojidar G.
Once you know the kinds of problems a candidate might deal with, try creating hypothetical scenarios that mimic these challenges. Make them relevant and realistic so you can see how the candidates approach a problem, think critically, and use their knowledge. By giving them these scenarios during the interview, you get to see their thought processes and problem-solving strategies in action. This often tells you more about their abilities than their resume or past experience, helping you better understand how they’d perform in the job.
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Dejon Mitra
Person In Charge @ Safeway | Tech Sales Certificate
Create hypothetical but realistic problems that candidates might encounter on the job. These scenarios should reflect the challenges identified in the first step. Example: For a customer service role, present a scenario where a customer is unhappy with their service and ask the candidate to outline their approach to resolving the issue.
Incorporate behavioral interview questions that prompt candidates to discuss past experiences where they've had to solve complex problems. Ask them to describe the situation, the actions they took, and the outcome. This method, known as the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique, allows you to understand not only what they did but also how they approached the problem. It's a great way to gauge their practical experience and ability to apply their problem-solving skills in real-world situations.
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Umang Mehta
25x LinkedIn Top Voice 🏆 | Global Delivery Head | CISO | CISA | Global Thought Leader Top 10 IT Leadership | Global Top 50 CyberSecurity | SOC Expert | CySA+ | GICAST | PCI DSS | DFE | EHE | Writer | Researcher
Utilizing behavioral interview questions that follow the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique is an effective way to assess candidates' problem-solving abilities. By prompting candidates to share past experiences where they tackled complex challenges, you gain insights into their approach, actions, and outcomes. This method enables you to evaluate their problem-solving skills in practical contexts and understand their decision-making processes. Behavioral questions help assess candidates' real-world problem-solving experience and their ability to apply these skills effectively in a professional setting.
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Claudio Yamaguchi
Educador | Especialista em Inovação | Habilidades para Superar Robôs
In addition to asking the candidate to describe a difficult situation they have faced in a professional setting and how they dealt with it, I usually ask them to describe an ideal day at work. Then I follow up with, "And if everything goes wrong? How do you handle that?". I want to understand what their most sensitive points are: - Whether there is a need to have control over situations - How they handle unpredictability - Whether adversities trigger more fight or flight responses - Whether they ask for help or tend to act alone There is no right answer, but this approach helps me assess how the person behaves in the face of challenges.
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Carla Tapullima
Planner en MARCO Peruana | Gestión del tiempo y organización | Ingeniera Industrial | CIP N° 236477
Las preguntas conductuales son una herramienta poderosa en el proceso de entrevistas para evaluar las habilidades de resolución de problemas. Estas preguntas se centran en experiencias pasadas del candidato y cómo han manejado situaciones específicas. Por ejemplo, preguntar "Cuéntame sobre una vez en que tuviste que resolver un problema complicado en el trabajo" puede revelar mucho sobre su enfoque, creatividad y eficacia en la resolución de problemas. Es crucial escuchar tanto el proceso como el resultado, para entender mejor la capacidad del candidato para aplicar sus habilidades en situaciones futuras.
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Brijesh M Purohit
Empowering Success: Entrepreneur | Author | Business & Property Mentor
I have used the CAR method in my behavioral interview questions. The CAR method is effective because it provides a simple, clear, and consistent framework for evaluating key skills and behaviors. By focusing on Challenges, Actions, and Results, it allows interviewers to gain meaningful insights into a candidate's past experiences and effectively predict their future performance. You can also use the STAR method, and I must say that both methods offer valuable insights into the candidate.
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Teslim Onafuye
Operations Manager at Munchmate
One thing have found very helpful in hiring these days is attitude and how people behave during the interview process, have always love and cherish a non-toxic work environment and one thing that keeps this away is checking the behaviors from how receptive they are. While doing this you should put into consideration some applicants can be naive due to some factors, but asking them what they would do if asked to go against Compliance and others is very good to establish their behaviors and how they'll react when they are faced.
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Riddhiman Das
Brand Ambassador at Echobooom Management and Entrepreneurial Solutions
Yes, applying the knowledge to be practical is the best thing one can do. If we are not capable of transforming those ideas and knowledge in the practical world then it’s not worth learning. If we store all the information and knowledge in our minds then it is not going to be useful and fruitful in the later future. The more we can solve real world problems with the help of the skills, information, intelligence and knowledge the better for us and the people around. Then it is worth the right investment in the field of education. There will be the fear, uneasiness, uncertainties and insecurities. it’s our duty to break free from all this and be totally independent and self reliant to keep pushing through the hardship. Optimism is the key!
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Nadine Van Schalkwyk
Sales Consultant at Nedbank
Pose hypothetical scenarios where candidates have to solve complex problems. Ask them to describe their approach, the steps they took, and the outcome. This helps assess their problem-solving skills in real-life situations.
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Nadine Van Schalkwyk
Sales Consultant at Nedbank
Pose hypothetical scenarios where candidates have to solve complex problems. Ask them to describe their approach, the steps they took, and the outcome. This helps assess their problem-solving skills in real-life situations.
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Ashley Snyder
CEO @ Elite Industrial Solutions LLC
Behavioral interview questions are essential for evaluating a candidate's problem-solving skills through their past experiences. Utilize the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique by asking candidates to describe specific situations where they faced complex problems, what their responsibilities were, the actions they took to solve the issues, and the outcomes of those actions. This method helps you delve into their approach to problem-solving, providing insights into their ability to analyze situations, utilize resources, and implement solutions effectively. It's an effective strategy to assess their practical experience and real-world application of their skills.
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Joao Ricardo Santos Alves França
GERENTE DA MINHA VIDA | PCD | CONSULTOR TÉCNICO | MBA GESTÃO DE PESSOAS E LIDERANÇA | GESTÃO DE CONTAS | MKT | ESTRATÉGIA | VENDAS | INDÚSTRIA FARMACÊUTICA| KAM | TOP VOICE DA MINHA CARREIRA.
Quando você pede um case de sucesso a pessoa entrevistada podem vir muitas respostas prontas de outros processos que ele ja passou, mas nunca vivenciou aquilo na verdade. O candidato pode criar uma história que nunca será realmente comprovada. Quando você conversa com a pessoa você consegue enxergar o brilho no olho e seu comportamento durante a entrevista. Ja vi muitas pessoas que contratam coach para passar em entrevistas e ja tem todo argumento criado em sua fala.
For a hands-on evaluation, consider including practical tests or exercises in your hiring process. These could be written tests, computer simulations, or even role-playing exercises that require candidates to solve problems on the spot. This approach can be particularly revealing, as it shows you how candidates perform under pressure and whether they can translate their theoretical knowledge into effective action when it matters most.
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Rafael Dillenburg
Uma avaliação técnica bem estruturada faz com que seja possível direcionar os esforços para o que precisa de fato ser mudado em vista de uma avaliação negativa. Muitas vezes, uma avaliação com as perguntas erradas até te mostra que algo precisa mudar, mas você não consegue saber o que é que precisa de alteração.
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Asiya Zafar
MBA | HRM | Technical Recruiter| Head Hunter | Employee Engagement | Payroll Management | HR Analytics | People Management | Content Writer | Business Development| Research Analyst | Copy Writer
Incorporate problem-solving by using practical tests like case studies or technical assessments relevant to the job. These evaluate candidates' ability to propose solutions and demonstrate their problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios.
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Umang Mehta
25x LinkedIn Top Voice 🏆 | Global Delivery Head | CISO | CISA | Global Thought Leader Top 10 IT Leadership | Global Top 50 CyberSecurity | SOC Expert | CySA+ | GICAST | PCI DSS | DFE | EHE | Writer | Researcher
Incorporating practical tests or exercises in the hiring process provides a hands-on evaluation of candidates' problem-solving abilities. Whether through written tests, computer simulations, or role-playing scenarios, practical assessments offer valuable insights into how candidates perform under pressure and their capacity to apply theoretical knowledge in real-time problem-solving situations. This approach allows recruiters to gauge candidates' practical skills, adaptability, and critical thinking capabilities, providing a more comprehensive assessment of their problem-solving aptitude.
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Carla Tapullima
Planner en MARCO Peruana | Gestión del tiempo y organización | Ingeniera Industrial | CIP N° 236477
Las pruebas prácticas son evaluaciones que simulan tareas o problemas reales que el candidato enfrentará en el trabajo. Estas pruebas pueden incluir desde resolver un caso de estudio hasta realizar una tarea técnica específica. La ventaja de las pruebas prácticas es que permiten evaluar en tiempo real cómo el candidato aplica sus conocimientos y habilidades para resolver problemas. Además, proporcionan una evaluación objetiva de sus capacidades, más allá de lo que podrían expresar verbalmente durante una entrevista.
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Seth Derrick
Technical Leadership
Real-world, domain-appropriate tests are going to provide the clearest insight into what it's going to be like to work with someone. Do you want to work with someone who's memorized a bunch of LEET algorithm questions? Maybe. I'd rather see them work through a problem a team is either struggling with or just solved. What clarifying questions do they ask? How soon do they try and optimize? How communicative are they as they solve the problem? How do they respond to mid-solution changes in requirements? Do they appear to be having fun solving a never before seen problem or are they panicked and flustered? The hiring process should give both parties, candidate and interviewer, the opportunity to feel what it will be like to work together.
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Ashley Snyder
CEO @ Elite Industrial Solutions LLC
Including practical tests in your hiring process allows for a hands-on evaluation of a candidate's problem-solving skills. Whether it's written exams, computer simulations, or role-playing scenarios, these exercises require candidates to address problems in real-time. This method is especially valuable as it tests their ability to perform under pressure and demonstrates whether they can apply their theoretical knowledge practically. Observing candidates in such dynamic settings provides a clearer picture of their critical thinking, decision-making capabilities, and overall readiness for the challenges of the role.
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Teslim Onafuye
Operations Manager at Munchmate
I totally agree with giving practical test ranging from the field of job, this really will help determine intelligence in 2 folds, it helps to determine if this person is really knowledgeable about the job either from school or experiences in the past and if this person actually had to just read or practice for that purpose of the interview it shows that the person is actually a trainable person either ways he's employable but for maybe different level or pay.
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Riddhiman Das
Brand Ambassador at Echobooom Management and Entrepreneurial Solutions
Performing under pressure is a useless thing to see in a candidate. You are not in a war or a do or die situation where you have to take a quick decision or else something bad is going to happen. This in fact puts a lot of pressure on the candidate and thus they cannot perform at their full potential. I don’t encourage these type of things in the hiring process. The HRs and the management should not inculcate these things in a hiring process. The entire corporate world is in a hurry. I don’t understand why!? They all want employees to finish off the work assigned to them and also expect a lot from them too. ALL THIS HAS TO STOP NOW, OTHERWISE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FACE A LOT IF PROBLEMS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
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Bojidar G.
Including practical tests or exercises in your hiring process can really help you evaluate candidates more effectively. Whether it's written tests, computer simulations, or role-playing scenarios, these activities require candidates to solve problems on the spot. This approach reveals how well they perform under pressure and if they can apply their knowledge in real-world situations. By seeing how they handle these tasks, you get a clearer picture of their skills and how they might function in the job. It’s a great way to ensure you’re choosing the right person for the role.
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Alissa Fidelman
Client Care manager
Practical tests should not be literal interpretations of what a potential hire may be asked to do on the job - you can direct them to solutions for problems you know. What should be included in practical tests are lateral thinking problems and tests that measure an applicant's abilities to ask the right questions. If your applicant is not afraid to ask you for direction, asks sensible questions, and then uses the information collected to generate a solution - that's a problem solver.
Group interviews can be an effective way to see how candidates handle problem-solving in a team setting. By observing how they interact with others, you can assess their collaborative skills and their ability to contribute to a group's problem-solving efforts. It's important for candidates to demonstrate that they can communicate effectively, respect different viewpoints, and work towards a common solution.
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Umang Mehta
25x LinkedIn Top Voice 🏆 | Global Delivery Head | CISO | CISA | Global Thought Leader Top 10 IT Leadership | Global Top 50 CyberSecurity | SOC Expert | CySA+ | GICAST | PCI DSS | DFE | EHE | Writer | Researcher
Conducting group interviews can offer valuable insights into candidates' problem-solving and teamwork skills. Observing how candidates interact within a group setting provides a glimpse into their collaborative abilities, communication skills, and capacity to contribute to collective problem-solving endeavors. Candidates should demonstrate effective communication, respect for diverse viewpoints, and a collaborative approach towards achieving shared solutions. Group dynamics in interviews allow recruiters to assess candidates' interpersonal skills, teamwork abilities, and their aptitude for working harmoniously towards common goals.
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Carla Tapullima
Planner en MARCO Peruana | Gestión del tiempo y organización | Ingeniera Industrial | CIP N° 236477
Las dinámicas de grupo son ejercicios en los que varios candidatos trabajan juntos para resolver un problema o completar una tarea. Estas dinámicas son excelentes para evaluar no solo las habilidades individuales de resolución de problemas, sino también cómo los candidatos colaboran, se comunican y contribuyen en un equipo. Observando la interacción en un entorno de grupo, se pueden identificar habilidades de liderazgo, escucha activa, negociación y toma de decisiones colectivas, todas esenciales para la resolución efectiva de problemas en un entorno laboral.
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Paul Stirzaker
Service Manager at Government of Jersey
This depends on the type of problems you are looking to solve. Understanding how someone interacts with others is useful in certain scenarios but may not be needed in other scenarios where collaboration to solve the problem just adds opinion.
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Elza D'aloia
Recruitment Coordinator @ Apleona Ireland Limited | Talent Acquisition Specialist | Recruitment | RPO Recruitment | Stakeholder Management | Business Mgt MBA
Conduct group activities where candidates must work together to solve a problem. This can reveal their collaborative problem-solving skills, leadership, and ability to work under pressure.
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Farhana Qadir
A great way to see personality/behaviour kick into action in a more real setting, of groups! Work is seldom done in complete isolation!
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Claudio Yamaguchi
Educador | Especialista em Inovação | Habilidades para Superar Robôs
To make group interviews more inclusive, participatory, and fair, I believe they should occur after brief individual interviews. - There are people with more introverted personalities who have high potential for a position but may feel intimidated in their first public interaction. - Prior individual assessments can help identify these traits and adapt the group dynamics to respect differences. In a more leveled and safe environment, we can assess what matters about the candidate's skills and competencies, such as teamwork, communication, empathy, critical thinking, creativity, among others.
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Riddhiman Das
Brand Ambassador at Echobooom Management and Entrepreneurial Solutions
Agreeing to disagree is the rarest skill a human can possess. It is one of the toughest in fact. We all agree to one person to feel safe and not to get judged by other individuals. This is the reason why we have forgotten the ability to take risks and manage things by ourselves. It is very easy to agree with the group but it takes courage and determination to stand out and say that no this is not right. One should say that if one thinks and believes it’s wrong. Yes, it’s good to always work in a group to solve bigger problems so that we can get to know each other’s opinions and ideas. Hence, this gets easier and we can crack the code or the problem the company is facing.
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Ashley Snyder
CEO @ Elite Industrial Solutions LLC
Group interviews are excellent for observing candidates' problem-solving capabilities in a collaborative environment. During these sessions, you can assess how effectively candidates communicate, interact, and work with others towards solving problems. Watching them in action allows you to evaluate their respect for different viewpoints and their contribution to the team's efforts to find common solutions. This method not only highlights their individual problem-solving skills but also their ability to function effectively within a team, which is crucial for roles that require high levels of teamwork and communication.
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Dejon Mitra
Person In Charge @ Safeway | Tech Sales Certificate
Assess Collaboration Skills: Evaluate how candidates solve problems in a team setting. This can be done through group exercises or by having candidates work together on a shared task. Example: Organize a group activity where candidates must collaborate to solve a complex problem, then observe their interactions and contributions.
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Nick D.
Multifaceted Police Officer, Tech Enthusiast and Football Coach | Empowering Communities, Innovating Solutions, and Building Champions
Organising group exercises to assess candidates' collaborative skills, stakeholder engagement, and teamwork abilities is a fantastic way to evaluate a candidate's behaviour in a group setting. For instance, present a complex project scenario requiring collective input and resolution. Observe how candidates contribute ideas, negotiate roles, and work towards a consensus. Pay attention to their communication styles, leadership, and ability to engage stakeholders effectively. This approach highlights candidates who excel in collaboration, navigate stakeholder interests adeptly, and foster strong teamwork. It ensures you select individuals who thrive in cooperative and dynamic work environments.
Finally, ask candidates to reflect on their problem-solving experiences. Encourage them to share what they learned from past challenges and how they have applied those lessons to new situations. This reflection can reveal a candidate's capacity for growth and continuous improvement, which is essential for adapting to the evolving challenges they'll face in your organization. It's not just about finding someone who can solve problems today, but someone who will continue to develop their skills for the problems of tomorrow.
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Jon Parr
Head Of Operations ( CLOUD )at Siemens Grid Software (GSW)
Our ability to reflect and self learn is core to how we navigate through life. Some people have this and demonstrate it with ease and even a casual demeanour. Think how you reflect before asking others to voice their own reflective actions and how would you positively articulate your own reflective process to a stranger.
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Umang Mehta
25x LinkedIn Top Voice 🏆 | Global Delivery Head | CISO | CISA | Global Thought Leader Top 10 IT Leadership | Global Top 50 CyberSecurity | SOC Expert | CySA+ | GICAST | PCI DSS | DFE | EHE | Writer | Researcher
Encouraging candidates to engage in reflective analysis of their problem-solving experiences can provide valuable insights into their learning agility and growth mindset. By prompting candidates to share lessons learned from past challenges and how they have applied those insights to new situations, recruiters can assess their capacity for continuous improvement and adaptation to evolving challenges. This reflective approach showcases a candidate's willingness to learn, grow, and enhance their problem-solving skills, ensuring they are equipped to tackle future complexities within the organization.
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Claudio Yamaguchi
Educador | Especialista em Inovação | Habilidades para Superar Robôs
I see reflection as an essential skill for self-development in one's career, especially for those who aspire to become leaders. - I usually ask how the person deals with failures and mistakes within the work environment. - I want to understand how they handle it when the error is their own. - Next, how they handle the mistakes of others. I hope they do not point fingers or feel guilty, but understand errors as lessons learned and vulnerabilities—whether of a process, a lack of information or training, among other aspects that are more related to professional interest than individual.
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Riddhiman Das
Brand Ambassador at Echobooom Management and Entrepreneurial Solutions
Revised knowledge will never go for a waste and there is no end to learning or understanding newer concepts and informations. The day we stop learning is the day we have stopped to progress in our lives. So, one should always be attached to one’s work, learning and life and always give a 100% in whatever one is doing. Hard work with the right mindset and intention will never be wasted. The more we can apply past knowledge experiences into the current situation the better for us. We will get to revise what we learnt in the past and also there will be a tremendous joy that we could inculcate that experience in the present situation. Feedback is a very important thing where we get to know or mistakes and scope for improvement.
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Carla Tapullima
Planner en MARCO Peruana | Gestión del tiempo y organización | Ingeniera Industrial | CIP N° 236477
El análisis reflexivo implica pedir a los candidatos que reflexionen sobre su proceso de resolución de problemas después de completar una tarea o escenario. Esta reflexión puede proporcionar información valiosa sobre su autoconciencia, su capacidad para evaluar sus propias decisiones y aprender de sus experiencias. Al preguntarles cómo abordarían el problema de manera diferente en el futuro, se puede evaluar su capacidad para crecer y adaptarse, lo cual es crucial en un entorno de trabajo dinámico.
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Dejon Mitra
Person In Charge @ Safeway | Tech Sales Certificate
Review Problem-Solving Process: After practical tests or group exercises, ask candidates to reflect on their problem-solving process. This helps assess their analytical and critical thinking skills. Example: “What was your approach to solving the problem during the group exercise, and what would you do differently next time?”
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Muhammad Sheharyar
Food Safety and QA Specialist/ Compliance/ Trainer/ LA FSSC 22000
Asking candidates about the past problems they faced at their workplace, and how effectively they solved them to contribute to the organization's growth will definitely give an idea about the candidate in the hiring process. The knowledge about the candidate's creativity, root cause analysis of the problem, problem-solving methods can be evaluated through such communications.
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Alaa Tomoum
Senior Project Controls Manager | PMP® | PMI-RMP® | IPMA | PE | CRL | 20+ Years in Construction & Engineering Project Leadership
This study explores various reflective activities, including critical incidents, structured reflections, role-playing, case studies, videotapes, and personal narratives, used by second-year undergraduate mathematics and science students in a 15-week residency program. This program integrates math and science courses with preservice-teacher development to enhance candidates' problem-solving skills through reflection. Reflective analysis helps candidates recognize and improve their problem-solving behaviours and professional growth. Research indicates early signs of reflective teaching abilities can be identified through portfolio assignments and class reflections.
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Peter Gitau
Retail Cashier
Reflective analysis plays a valuable role in incorporating problem-solving into the hiring process. By identifying areas for improvement, learning from experience, adjusting recruitment practices, and enhancing decision-making, organizations can refine their strategies and make informed hiring decisions.
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Diego Macedo Rodrigues
Analista de planejamento l Multiplicador l White Belt l Supply l Operações Varejo
Uma análise reflexiva envolve a introspecção e a avaliação de experiências pessoais para extrair aprendizagens e insights. Aqui está um exemplo prático de uma análise reflexiva de uma experiência de trabalho em equipe durante um projeto: Exemplo Prático de Análise Reflexiva Contexto: Recentemente, participei de um projeto em equipe no meu trabalho onde tínhamos a tarefa de desenvolver uma nova estratégia de marketing digital para um cliente importante. O projeto durou três meses e envolveu cinco membros da equipe, cada um com habilidades e responsabilidades distintas.
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Carla Tapullima
Planner en MARCO Peruana | Gestión del tiempo y organización | Ingeniera Industrial | CIP N° 236477
Es importante resaltar que cada uno de estos métodos debe alinearse con los objetivos y la cultura de la empresa. Además, la evaluación de las habilidades de resolución de problemas debe ser justa y equitativa, evitando sesgos que puedan influir negativamente en el proceso de selección. La integración de múltiples métodos de evaluación puede proporcionar una visión más completa y precisa de las capacidades del candidato, asegurando una selección más acertada y beneficiosa tanto para la empresa como para el candidato.
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Arthur Lima
Desenvolvedor | Back-end | Java | Spring Boot | Python | Tecnologia | Banco de Dados | SQL | Power BI | Técnico em Desenvolvimento de Sistemas
De uma forma geral, os métodos especificados se tornam cruciais a depender de cada caso. Porém, saber enxergar o potencial além do histórico curricular do candidato se torna tanto um diferencial em relação à habilidade de captar talentos, quanto a de valorizar uma filosofia de constante aprimoramento do valor agregado da empresa por meio de um time altamente engajado e motivado, e consequentemente baixa rotatividade de mão de obra. Muitas empresas perdem grandes talentos por focarem apenas em histórico de conquistas dos candidatos, em vez de focar no que ele tem potencial de realizar. Sendo que, na verdade, é o foco de toda organização: o futuro!
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Mani Subramanian Veeramani ⭐
🇸🇬 Top Real Estate Voice Problem-Solver Property-Pro Deals-Maker Savvy-Investor Expert-Negotiator Family-Realtor. Trainer-Author. Helped 1000+ Clients Over 10 Years Received 5-Star Rating Get Proposal Action Plans now
Hey there, let's get to know our candidates a bit better! Ask 'em to share some stories about how they've tackled tricky situations in their past gigs. Shake things up in interviews by throwin' in some hypothetical scenarios. See how they handle 'em and get a feel for their problem-solving mojo. Wanna really test 'em out? Give 'em some case studies or work simulations to see how they tackle real-life challenges. Keep an eye out for folks who can think on their feet and come up with creative solutions. That adaptability and out-of-the-box thinkin' is what we're lookin' for! And remember, when you're sizin' up candidates, don't just focus on their technical skills. Problem-solving prowess is just as important,
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Elza D'aloia
Recruitment Coordinator @ Apleona Ireland Limited | Talent Acquisition Specialist | Recruitment | RPO Recruitment | Stakeholder Management | Business Mgt MBA
To ensure fairness, all candidates for a job should complete the same problem-solving assessments. Use different methods to assess a candidate's problem-solving abilities thoroughly. Create assessments that reflect real challenges they will face on the job to evaluate practical problem-solving skills. Using these strategies in your hiring process, you can better identify candidates with strong problem-solving skills who are ready to contribute to your organization.
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Meenal Gupta
(PMP)® (CSM)® | Manager - Business Analysis @Mercer | Solutions Delivery | Healthcare Insurance Domain - US, UK, APAC | Ex - Infosys, Aon Hewitt, Wipro
Crafting a job description with relevant responsibilities help but then asking the relevant questions also helps in hiring. For example- I have seen interviews where SQL queries of high difficulty level were being asked from the candidates, where job responsibilities was just data entry and copy paste work.
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Marcella Cavallari
BP| Geologist
I believe that rather than thinking about the work to be done, you should think about the ability to solve problems. There are people who may not know anything about the job, but have the will to make it happen, and that's what counts!
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