Vetting candidates based on their industry knowledge is one thing, but selecting candidates with 
emotional intelligence is another matter entirely. Even the most knowledgeable and qualified candidates can be near impossible to work with if they lack the ability to empathize and relate to their fellow coworkers. Emotional intelligence is an extremely valuable metric for determining how well a given candidate will fit into your organization. Industry knowledge can be taught in the workplace, but it’s far harder to teach emotional intelligence. By asking the right interview questions, however, you can gain insight into a candidate’s emotional intelligence. Today, we’ll look at a few questions that can help reveal this valuable skill.
Ask About Their Weaknesses
Don’t just ask what their weaknesses are; ask how they manage them. An emotionally intelligent, self-reflective person should be able to give frank and honest answers about their shortcomings. Those who lack emotional intelligence will likely be more inclined to try to conceal their weaknesses rather than confronting them head on. This may mean that they have trouble dealing with the weaknesses of others as well, which may be problematic in a professional environment.
Teach Me Something I Know Nothing About
Not only will this prompt interviewees to reveal something of their personalities, it will also illustrate their approach to pedagogy. Does it seem like they’re really trying to teach you something, or are they just demonstrating the depth of their own knowledge? Are they engaging you in conversation, or merely talking at you? People with high levels of emotional intelligence understand that to effectively distill difficult or unfamiliar information, both parties must be actively engaged in the discussion.
What Do You Consider Your Greatest Accomplishment in Your Last Position?
This question can help interviewers to understand how candidates view themselves in the context of a workplace. Does it sound like they achieved their goals because they were able to collaborate productively with others, or in spite of their coworkers’ interference? Pay close attention to the pronouns here. Do they speak as if they were the only one responsible for their achievements, or do they recognize that it couldn’t have happened without the dynamic support of others? Emotionally intelligent people will generally have an easier time recognizing the value of other people’s input.
At CSS, we know that industry knowledge is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to vetting and evaluating candidate qualifications. For the past two decades, we’ve been helping companies to find valuable new employees that are not only technically savvy professionals, but also emotionally intelligent collaborators. Give us a call to speak with a staffing specialist and find the right person for the job today.