In job interviews, executives often move beyond standard questions like "Tell me about yourself" to uncover deeper insights into a candidate's character and potential. Four senior leaders shared their favorite go-to questions and the reasoning behind them.
**1. The Question to Test Insight**
* **Executive:** Francine Katsoudas, EVP and Chief People, Policy, and Purpose Officer at Cisco
* **The Question:** "Based on your prior interviews, what do you believe is the most important part of this role?"
* **Why She Asks:** Katsoudas typically meets candidates at the end of the process. This question reveals their ability to synthesize information from multiple conversations and grasp the core needs of the position, often going beyond the job description. It shows how well they listen and distill what's truly important.
**2. The Question to Test Self-Awareness**
* **Executive:** Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, EVP and Chief People Officer at Dayforce
* **The Question:** "What's a piece of recent constructive feedback that you are actively working on?"
* **Why She Asks:** This is a modern take on the "greatest weakness" question. It assesses a candidate's honesty, vulnerability, and commitment to self-improvement. Cappellanti-Wolf finds it concerning if a candidate claims they don't receive feedback or have nothing to work on, as it shows a lack of self-awareness.
**3. The Question to Test Hustle**
* **Executive:** Corinne Sklar, VP and Managing Director at Salesforce (formerly IBM)
* **The Question:** "Tell me how you first made money."
* **Why She Asks:** Sklar has used this question for 20 years to identify an entrepreneurial spirit. She believes the answer shows whether a candidate is a self-starter with a "hustler" mentality who takes initiative rather than waiting for opportunities. As a child who sold bookmarks, she looks for people who drive their own strategy.
**4. The Question to Test Leadership Perception**
* **Executive:** Donna Morris, EVP and Chief People Officer at Walmart
* **The Question:** "If I were to ask people who have worked for you before, what would they tell me?"
* **Why She Asks:** This open-ended question, used for leadership-level candidates, is difficult to rehearse. The response provides a genuine glimpse into how the candidate views their own leadership style and impact on others, leading to a deeper discussion about their workplace interactions and self-perception.