In the last few Insights, we’ve made the point that individuals change careers or move to a new company when they become dissatisfied.

Getting a candidate to express their dissatisfaction during an initial interview opens the door for an emotional connection to develop.

So, how do you get someone to express their dissatisfactions?

Just ask.  Most people are willing to talk about their struggles, but in the interview setting, they need to be prompted a little.

More specifically, ask open-ended questions specifically focused on potential dissatisfactions the candidate may be experiencing.

For example:

If you could change something about your current broker, what would it be?

Do you feel like the tasks you accomplish in your current job / career field engage your personal strengths?   If not, where’s the disconnect?  What’s missing? 

Tell me about your current manager….   If you could change something about your manager, what would it be?

Tell me about your team (co-workers)….  Do you feel that you are a good fit on your current team?

Uncovering dissatisfactions will help a candidate feel listened to and understood.

After sharing this information, they’re much more willing and able to hear your solutions to their problems.