Gaining the expertise of others through interviews…

Interviewing someone is one of the quickest ways to gain their knowledge, experience, and expertise without having to spend the time and pain of going through it yourself.

As business owners, we have the advantage of mentorship! Take advantage of the knowledge and experience you can learn from someone.

Who do you aspire to be like? Who have you been dying to get time with?

ASK for an interview!!!

Here are some tips on performing a successful interview, followed by my top 10 recommended general interview questions!

Performing an interview, the interviewer…

1. needs to be knowledgable on the subject 
2. provides structure
3. clear – the questions are simple, easy, and short
4. gentle – let the person finish
5. sensitive – empathy and listening 
6. open – respond to what is important – flexible
7. steering – know what you want to find out, questions, prompts, and probes
8. critical – agree or challenge
9. remembers – what has been said – pay attention
10. interprets – summarize
11. balanced – between talking and listening
12. ethically sensitive – about, purpose, confidentiality

What do you ask leaders in your industry?

1. How did you get here? Can you tell me about your career, and what you have done to get where you are at today? What did you want to be when you grew up?
2. Are you happy with your career choice and the path you took to get here? Are you happy at this level?
3. What are your aspirations now? (ambitions/goals/hopes/desires) 
4. What would you need to do to get to the next level?
5. What was your greatest lesson ever learned or greatest advice ever received? If you could only give one piece of advice, or teach one lesson, what would it be?
6. What are you learning now?
7. How has failure shaped your life?
8. Who do you know that I should know? Is there someone in your life, which you believe aspires to greatness or is a natural-born leader? I want to know this person  
9. What have you read that I should read?
10. What is one thing you have done in your life that I should do?
11. How can I add value to you?

HAPPY INTERVIEWING!

#getoutthereandask #interviewyourmentor