The Best Job Interview Question

I happen to be busy with a job search these days and so have been filling out a lot of applications on-line. Sometimes its a snap to complete an application or resume request- simply upload it from a Word file and it's done- the fields are completed from the upload. Other times is not as easy and of course each company seems to want my flight hours categorized in a different way.

This morning I applied for a Chief Pilot position for a large company. After completing the on-line form and sending it off I received a notification that for this position I would be required to take a test on line. Not really knowing what to expect I touched "OK" and was redirected to the test URL. It was deceptively brief. Question One: How many flight hours have you accumulated? Question Two: I can't recall exactly what question two asked but I think my answer choices were 'yes' or 'no'. Question Three was not a question at all- entitled over a blank field was the statement, "Tell me your life story." No designated limit on the number of characters allowed in the field nor any time constraint in which to answer.

Wow! Isn't that a great question to put before an applicant? Think of the amount of information is revealed in one's answer to such a question! The person who designed this test is brilliant, in my opinion, and like any great idea I intend to steal it and keep it filed away for future use. When I was a manager I hired a lot of people over the course of several years- I wish now I'd had this arrow in my quiver. The psychology of the question is stunning.

The response tells the reader so much more than the story itself, I think, revealing so many other things about the writer. It's not a matter of a chronology of events it's a question of what events the writer chooses to share and why these particular events were chosen. This distillation of bygone years, the 'how' or 'why' a person came to do this or that, go here or go there, or make one choice over another gives the reader a real insight into the writer's mind and what is important in his or her life. There are the obvious things as well- is the writer articulate and lucid; is the writing effective; is it all believable; can the writer spell?

My response was 2100 words in length. I answered from the viewpoint of telling the story of my career and the how and why of the decisions I made. I thought I did a fair job of describing a 35 year career. I did make a few spelling errors, I know, because I saved what I wrote to a Word document. If I'd only thought of that before I sent it off! If I hear back from the company I'll note it in a later blog and share anything relevant.

In high school I was in the advanced placement history class in 11th grade. It was without doubt the most meaningful class in my entire public education. The teacher, Jack Harrington, taught us a lot about history but most importantly he taught us how to write. Every week an essay was required and every week we each had a one-on-one session during which Mr. Harrington critiqued that week's paper. Content was always at issue but more than that it was the effectiveness of what was written- did that essay convince the reader to see my view point, to understand my argument, and to be won over to my side? Mr. Harrington was relentless and I know each of us went on to 12th grade, college, and life with a skill that would serve us time after time after time. Many times in my grown up life I have silently thanked Mr. Harrington for his patience and persistence.