Hi, this is Stephanie Maas.

Today, I want to talk to you about my absolute least favorite worst ever interview question.

I am so tired of hearing that hiring managers ask this question, so I'm going to tell you it.

I'm going to tell you why it doesn't work.

I'll give you some better suggestions and beg you stop using this question.

The question.

Are you ready?

You have got to stop asking, what are your strengths and what are your weaknesses?

Honestly, you can go back 50 years, find the first ever book on interviewing tips.

And that's the number one question people know to prepare for.

It is in every other interviewing book since then.

Candidates know it.

They know how to expect it.

They've rehearsed answering it and they're not going to give you what you really want to know.

It's outdated and it's ineffective.

Let's be honest.

What you really want to know is, is this my next superstar?

Is this next person going to be the next one on my team that's going to knock the cover off the ball?

Cause if they are absolutely, what do you care what their strengths and weaknesses are?

You don't, what you want to know, is this your superstar?

So in order to figure that out, let me give you a couple of other better questions to ask.

Here's a better question.

What do you do?

That separates you from your peers.

You've talked to me a little bit about some of your successes.

What did you do differently from the rest of the folks on your last team that made you had those successes that they did not have?

That would be a great question to ask.

Another form of that is, tell me about your competitive advantage.

So what are you doing to differentiate yourself from your internal peers, your external competition?

Walk me through that and then be able to ask or tell them, Hey, I'm a competitor.

You mentioned you were successful here.

Okay.

Give me an example of how successful you were and where's the evidence to back that up.

You tell me you're great with COIs.

Great.

Last year, how many new deals did you bring in?

Where did they come from?

How many COIs refer them to him?

How many were cold calling?

How many were from your current book of business?

Hey, if you were to come on board, what would be your business plan in the first 90 days to make an immediate impact?

Describe to me an environment in which you feel like you could really knock the cover off the ball.

Do these new questions help?

They certainly should.

And they will get you quicker to where you need to be with that candidate to know, is this my next superstar?

Okay.

Now, not the worst interview question, but a close second.

It's a runner up, actually not even a question.

Tell me about yourself.

Really?

You want me to tell you about me?

Um, I'm five, five.

I weigh a, well, none of your business.

Um, I'm married.

Oh, that, that's not quite what you were looking for.

Then stop asking that question.

Instead, might I suggest a couple other thoughts, things that will actually get you information that you want and need to determine if this person is a good fit for your organization.

Here's a couple of suggestions.

Hey, tell me about your last accomplishment or an accomplishment that you have made in the last couple of years in your current role that you are really proud of.

How did your current leadership team respond or recognize that accomplishment?

In your next role, what are you hoping to accomplish?

Why is that important to you?

These are some questions that will get you probably better answers, more sincere answers and better insight to the person that's sitting in front of you.