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Self-Appraisal QuestionsFiled Under: General

Self-appraisal questions present an opportunity to learn how candidates think others perceive them. Make an effort to include a self-appraisal question in every interview. The question asks a candidate to evaluate how others perceive his or her performance of a mandatory success factor. This can be very revealing.

Here’s a typical self-appraisal question:

“If I were to call your present supervisor, how would she describe your ability to meet deadlines on a timely basis?”

And here’s a bonus for those who followed my earlier recommendation and already talked with the candidate’s supervisor: You’ll immediately be able to compare a candidate’s response with the actual report of the supervisor. The supervisor may have also provided enough additional
information about the candidate’s work experience to know whether a more thorough assessment of other key areas is warranted.

But whether you contact references before an interview or afterward, the self-appraisal question is a valuable tool. It will help you assess whether there’s congruity in the way candidates think they are perceived, and the way they’re actually perceived by those who have supervised them and know them well. Lack of congruity in this regard could mean that the candidate may be out-oftouch with reality in some important way or simply attempting to mislead the interviewer.

Be sure to use follow-up probes to obtain behavioral evidence for a candidate’s answer. “Why,” “what,” and “how” probes will help provide the necessary additional information. Be prepared to learn some interesting and useful information about a candidate using this style of question.

Taken From: 10 Minute Guide to Conducting a Job Interview