Stories · Management
Two candidates, one job
You lead a design team of eight and need a senior designer. Two finalists remain: A has the more impressive portfolio and interviewed with confidence; B's work is solid and B is steadier, but asks for 15% over budget. Mia, your HR partner, did the reference checks and salary talks. You go to talk with her.
Who you're talking to
Mia, hR business partner.
(sits down with her laptop) I've got both candidates' files ready. Where do you want to start?
Questions to start with
- “What did their references say?”
- “What kind of person does the team need most?”
- “Why the rush to decide?”
Mia won't volunteer everything. Some of what matters only comes out if you ask the right follow-up questions.
Questioning habits this story trains
- Ask where the evidence comes from. For example: “How many cases like that? Who says so?”
- Ask about the downside they skipped. For example: “What's the worst that could happen?”
- Don't let pressure or friendship push you. For example: “What happens if I answer in two days?”
- Pin down vague words. For example: “How soon is "soon"? How much is "mostly"?”
- Find the unspoken premise. For example: “For that to hold, what else has to be true?”
The decision
When you've heard enough, you give Mia your answer face to face. The choices include:
- Hire A
- Hire B with a signing bonus and a raise in six months
- Hire neither and keep looking
- Hire A with clear teamwork expectations and probation goals
Then you read what happened a year later, see how sound your decision was, and get notes on the key moments of your conversation with a better way to say each.
Rehearse this conversation for free. New accounts get 2 free rounds. One round takes under 10 minutes.
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