When assessing a job candidate, it is essential to consider the individual's thinking, doing and feeling dimensions. Each dimension can offer helpful insight regarding their appropriateness for the role. The thinking dimension evaluates an individual's cognitive capabilities, such as problem-solving aptitude, analytical abilities and reasoning capacity. It will also demonstrate how effectively they can work through difficult situations and make decisions that result in positive outcomes. The doing dimension assesses someone's ability to put their knowledge into practice. Here it would be beneficial to evaluate evidence of initiative-taking, organizational skills, manual talents or technical expertise that might be required for the position. And looking at the feeling dimension will allow you to gauge an individual's emotional intelligence, including their capability for empathy towards others or whether they can manage stress levels efficiently when placed under pressure.
Assessing the thinking attributes
Assessing candidates' thinking abilities during a job interview is essential to understand their strategic, lateral, improvisational and analytical capabilities. By taking the time to consider these attributes, employers can make more informed decisions on which candidates are best suited for a given role.
Strategic Thinking
Strategic thinking allows managers to examine how each decision fits into their long-term plan and determine whether it will positively or negatively affect their goals. It enables them to develop innovative solutions to achieve desired results while considering potential risks. During job interviews, assessing this quality in candidates helps employers determine if they can make decisions that align with company objectives and create value over time. Sample questions:
Give me an example where you negotiated a win-win for all the parties involved.
Recall an instance when you had to fix a recurring operational problem by thinking strategically.
Lateral Thinking
Lateral thinkers can solve problems by exploring alternative perspectives and coming up with unconventional solutions outside of what conventional wisdom suggests. This type of thinking is essential for businesses that need creative solutions to complex challenges. Testing applicants' lateral thinking abilities in an interview setting can give hiring managers insight into their problem-solving capabilities and adaptability when presented with new situations or unexpected obstacles during work projects. Sample questions: Sample questions:
Give me an example of an innovation you brought to your workplace.
Tell me about a situation where you approached a task differently than was expected.
Improvization
The ability to think quickly on one's feet is an invaluable skill for any job role - from customer service representatives who need to deal effectively with angry customers on short notice; to salespeople who must adjust presentations based on feedback from prospects up to executives who must make snap decisions under pressure without jeopardizing business objectives or profits. When interviewing, gauging their improvisational skills gives hiring managers greater confidence that these individuals can handle challenging scenarios professionally without compromising performance standards or company values. Sample questions:
How long do you expect it would take for you to make a significant contribution to our company?
Do you have any doubts about your ability to fulfil this job's responsibilities?
Analytical Thinking
Analytical thinkers possess strong reasoning abilities, which enable them to break down complex tasks into smaller manageable parts before synthesizing information gathered from various sources to arrive at logical conclusions supported by facts and data points rather than guesswork or gut feeling alone. For recruiters, evaluating applicants' analytical aptitude reveals how successful they may be when dealing with complex problems requiring meticulous attention to detail and critical assessment-backed evidence rather than assumptions. Sample questions:
In your opinion, what makes you stand out from your competition?
Can you summarize the contribution you would make to our organization?
Clarity
Clarity is essential in any interview as it helps both parties effectively communicate their ideas. Candidates should speak clearly and concisely when discussing their experience or explaining why they would be a good fit for the role. Clarity also means presenting information logically and objectively without getting side-tracked by unrelated topics or opinions. Sample questions:
Describe when your clarity of thought helped solve an issue or create an innovative solution.
When have your communication skills helped resolve a difficult situation at work?
Assessing the doing attributes
Evaluating a job candidate's 'doing' attributes is essential to determine suitability. Perseverance, efficiency, proficiency, developing others and persuasiveness can indicate how successful an individual might be, so assessing these qualities during an interview is essential.
Perseverance
Perseverance is critical in any job setting, as it allows individuals to stay focused on their goals despite difficult circumstances or obstacles. An individual with solid perseverance will quickly adapt to new tasks and take the initiative when needed. A hiring manager should assess whether a candidate has demonstrated this quality throughout their career by asking questions about how they handled challenging projects or overcame difficult obstacles at work. Sample questions:
Recall an instance when you gave an excellent idea to your manager, but your manager didn't acknowledge it.
Give an example of an ambitious goal that you have achieved.
Proficiency
Proficiency indicates an individual's ability to complete tasks effectively and efficiently without sacrificing accuracy or quality of work. Proficiency is essential for roles that require technical expertise, such as software engineering or web development positions. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in specific skill sets during the interview process. Questions related to past experiences where candidates had used their skillset successfully could provide insight into their level of proficiency in those areas. Sample questions:
How would you explain a difficult concept to someone without prior knowledge?
Describe a project or experience that required you to use your most advanced skills in this area of expertise.
Efficiency
Efficiency refers not only to completing tasks quickly but also doing so while minimizing wasted resources such as time and money whenever possible. Efficient workers understand how best to utilize their strengths and minimize weaknesses for maximum output with minimal effort expended, making them invaluable team members. Hiring managers should look for candidates with strong problem-solving abilities and creative solutions during interviews since these indicate someone who would efficiently use available resources if hired. Sample questions:
Recall an instance when you simultaneously managed numerous responsibilities.
Recall an instance when you had to get a group of busy people to work together on a team project.
Developing others
Developing others is another essential quality that can give you an insight into how well-suited someone might be for your organization's culture. A candidate who has a history of motivating their team members, helping them grow professionally and encouraging collaboration could be just what your company needs. This ability shows they understand how to bring out the best in people while keeping everyone focused on achieving collective goals. Sample questions:
Give an example of when you assisted a co-worker in enhancing her work skills.
Can you recall an instance when you backed someone to stand up for something they believed in?
Persuasiveness
Persuasiveness speaks volumes about a person's ability as an influencer; this skill requires finesse. More importantly, it highlights one's capacity to gain buy-in from others and inspire them through engaging dialogue, ultimately leading to tangible results. Being persuasive gives candidates an edge during interviews since it showcases how well-versed they are at presenting arguments whilst gaining peer support, making them ideal candidates when filling positions such as sales representatives, marketing executives, etcetera, where negotiation capabilities are paramount. Sample questions:
Describe a situation in which you successfully persuaded someone to do something they were initially reluctant to do.
How have you adapted your persuasive style for different audiences?
Assessing the feeling attributes
Evaluating the feeling attributes of authenticity, emotional stability, self-awareness, social awareness, and empathy in a job interview can allow employers to gain insight into how potential employees will interact with colleagues and customers in the workplace environment.
Authenticity
Authenticity encompasses being true to oneself and having a genuine interest in helping others succeed professionally, something which makes team dynamics run smoother overall. Candidates with authentic personalities will likely build trust among colleagues, inspiring collaboration rather than competition within teams. Asking questions about previous group successes provides valuable information regarding a candidate's ability to operate authentically within different environments. Sample questions:
How did you build relationships with co-workers, customers, vendors or other stakeholders?
What was the last major project that failed at work, and why do you think it happened?
Self-awareness
Self-aware individuals understand their motivations, values, attitudes, beliefs and emotions, which can be beneficial when making decisions or interacting with team members. In an interview setting, this quality could demonstrate that the candidate has good insight into their abilities while remaining open to feedback from others. Sample questions:
Tell me about when you were most pleased with your performance.
Tell me about when you could not complete a task on time.
Social awareness
Social awareness refers to awareness of other people's feelings and thoughts within a given context – understanding what motivates them or how they may react under certain circumstances. This trait could show that an individual has empathy towards those around them and strong communication skills, essential for successful collaboration in any workplace environment. Sample questions:
Tell me about when you dealt with a complex manager, colleague or team member.
Recall an instance when you resolved a conflict within your project team.
Emotional stability
Emotional stability pertains to managing one's emotions so they don't get out of hand during stressful times. Regulating emotions indicates resilience, stability, patience, and adaptability —which are essential for effective organizational leadership. Research shows that emotional stability links with business success, so hiring managers must consider applicants who demonstrate this trait more favourably. Sample questions:
How do you deal with criticism at work?
What is the most challenging adjustment you have ever made at work?
Empathy
Empathy allows applicants to better understand their colleagues' perspectives and feelings, leading to greater collaboration, cooperation, and problem-solving. It also helps them recognize potential issues or conflicts before they arise, which can help prevent costly mistakes. In addition, those with solid empathy skills tend to have higher emotional intelligence levels, leading to improved team communication and more efficient decision-making processes. Sample questions:
Describe a situation where you had to support someone with an emotional challenge.
What techniques have you used to build rapport and trust with people from different backgrounds and cultures?
By assessing a job candidate's thinking, doing and feeling dimensions, employers can gain valuable insight into the individual's potential for success in the role. This allows them to make an informed decision when hiring new employees and ensure they find someone with all the necessary skills, knowledge and qualities for their organization. This approach ensures employers can select individuals with all three essential elements – cognitive ability, practical know-how and emotional intelligence – needed for long-term success in any position.
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