Rarely does anyone go through life without encountering the tedious ‘tell me something about yourself’ or the predictable ‘where do you see yourself in five years’ questions, whether in a job interview, internship, volunteering, participating in a project, or something else. However, each of these questions helps the employer discover and assess the potential of candidates. To better understand how candidates react to certain situations and how they will respond to real challenges in the workplace, behavioral and situational questions are often used in job interviews, explains Jelena Jelušić, a human resources consultant and employer branding expert at INSPO Consulting.
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—– Behavioral questions are asked to assess how the candidate reacted to past situations and experiences. These questions assume that past behavior patterns will be indicators of future behavior. For example: ‘Can you describe a situation where you faced a conflicting colleague? How did you act and what was the outcome?’ Situational questions are posed to test the candidate’s ability to think about future situations and to see how they would behave in certain scenarios. For example: ‘How would you behave if you found yourself in a situation where the team is not collaborating well and there is conflict among members?’ – explains Jelušić.
Individual Approach
However, although there are numerous recommendations today on what to ask a potential candidate, and on the other hand, how to respond to questions from a future employer, job interviews have undergone significant changes over the years. More precisely, compared to the past, today employers strive to take an individual approach to each candidate, emphasizes Alen Mrvac, a journalist at the MojPosao portal.
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—– While previously a one size fits all mentality prevailed, today employers are aware that each candidate brings unique skills and experiences to the ‘game’. Today, job interviews are focused on a deeper understanding of the candidate’s competencies and how those competencies align with the company’s needs. Questions often focus on specific challenges in the industry and the ways candidates can contribute to solving those challenges. Employers are also increasingly adapting working conditions to attract and retain talented individuals. Questions about working conditions, work-life balance, and adjustments for different candidate needs are becoming common – says Mrvac.
Employers increasingly emphasize the importance of finding candidates who align with the company’s culture, values, and long-term goals, adds Jelušić, and they also place great importance on digital literacy and the ability to work with technology.
– Given the rapid changes in many industries, employers are looking for candidates who can quickly adapt to new technologies and market dynamics. Due to the rise of remote work models and hybrid arrangements, questions about remote work capabilities and preferences are becoming more frequent – says Jelušić.
Higher Expectations from Both Sides
On the other hand, post-pandemic trends such as big quit or the great resignation and job hopping have sparked people’s interest in polishing their resumes, LinkedIn profiles, refining cover letters, and preparing extensively for job interviews (assuming they even get to them). Discussions on how to adequately prepare for a job interview and how to formulate the best responses to employer questions have thus returned to the agenda. What to highlight, and what not to mention? What impression to leave? However, there is also increasing talk about the questions that should be asked of the future employer. Mrvac confirms that expectations from job interviews on both sides have become more precise.
– Employers clearly communicate what they expect from candidates, while candidates also ask questions about advancement opportunities, professional development, and the company’s culture. Ultimately, job interviews are no longer just an assessment of the candidate’s compatibility with the job, but also an assessment of the compatibility between the candidate and the company. This results in better candidate selection and more satisfied employees who better match the needs and values of their employers – adds Mrvac.
Job seekers, on the other hand, are increasingly asking about work-life balance, such as flexible working hours and remote work, says Jelušić.
– Candidates are very interested in opportunities for skill development, education, and advancement within the organization. It is also very important for them to know how aligned the company is with their personal values, such as sustainability, social responsibility, ethics… Candidates inquire about how their work will be monitored and evaluated, as well as how much feedback they can expect and opportunities for advancement. We are also noticing an increasing interest in the benefits that the company offers its employees, particularly significant support and programs related to mental health and wellbeing – describes Jelušić.
Young People Are Interested in Ethics
These developments have, of course, been influenced by the entry of Generation Z into the labor market, born from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s – the digital generation. These young individuals, in addition to being tech-savvy and pragmatic, seek meaning in their careers and have influenced older generations’ perceptions of the importance of work-life balance. As Mrvac describes, ‘they definitely work to live, not live to work’.
– They strive for flexible working conditions and adjustments that allow for better integration of family and professional life. When it comes to interpersonal relationships, Generation Z emphasizes the importance of inclusivity, diversity, and transparency in the workplace. They often ask questions about the ethics and corporate culture of the company before deciding on a job. Additionally, due to their critical thinking and desire for constant learning, Generation Z often sets high expectations for employers regarding opportunities for professional development and training – adds Mrvac, noting that employers, on the other hand, are looking for candidates who are aware of the importance of work-life balance and who are willing to work in an environment that supports such balance.
– At the same time, they want information from candidates about what they as a company can do to help the candidate fit in as best as possible. Also, considering that members of Generation Z are often extremely connected to digital communication, employers want to know how candidates will handle traditional communication and interpersonal relationships in the workplace – says Mrvac.
Thus, alongside all the new digital skills, Mrvac notes that it is still important to nurture those fundamental skills that are important for every generation in the labor market – professionalism, motivation, and problem-solving abilities.
What Is Acceptable and What Is Not
In a job interview, Mrvac and Jelušić agree that the candidate and employer should discuss several key topics. These include, for example, working conditions, working hours and location, roles and responsibilities, teamwork, company culture and values, salary and financial benefits, opportunities for development and advancement, work-life balance, the selection process, and finally, onboarding.
– And not less importantly, it is essential that both sides are authentic and honest in presenting their values, so that there is no disappointment later, although it is clear that both are motivated to present themselves in the best light – notes Jelušić.
However, there are also questions that are absolutely inappropriate for a job interview, are not in accordance with the law, violate candidates’ rights, or are even discriminatory. Jelušić cites examples of such questions that relate to age, marital or family status, gender or sexual orientation, origin, religion, pregnancy, political affiliation. It is not uncommon for an employer to ask a candidate during an interview what their current salary is. This puts candidates, according to Jelušić, in an uncomfortable, even unfavorable position, and they often hesitate to respond.
– On the other hand, they feel pressured to answer so as not to reduce their chances of getting the job. However, good practice is to focus on discussing the expected salary in relation to the specific job requirements, rather than asking the candidate about their salary history with current or former employers – says Jelušić.
Health status and disability are another sensitive area, notes Mrvac.
– Employers should not ask questions about health problems or disabilities as this could lead to discrimination against persons with disabilities. Instead, employers should focus their questions on relevant aspects related to the job and work tasks – explains Mrvac.
Therefore, any question that deals with personal relationships and life choices, which has nothing to do with the job, should be avoided.
– Remember, questions that are not relevant to the job itself should definitely be avoided in job interviews. It is important for interviewers to focus on questions that relate to the job and assess the candidate’s qualifications, skills, and ability to perform the required tasks – concludes Jelušić.
