Video:How to Ask Leadership Questions in a Pre-Interview Written Evaluation

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Transcript:How to Ask Leadership Questions in a Pre-Interview Written Evaluation

Hi! This is Meghan Lynn Allen for About.com, and today we're discussing how to ask leadership questions in a pre-interview written evaluation.

Design the Evaluation for Print and Typed Responses

The evaluation should be clearly printed or typed on company letterhead - and be sure to proofread. You can run it by a few other eyes before you give it out to potential applicants. Leave the proper amount of space or written or typed answers on the evaluation. Keep in mind that handwriting is fine, but people may want to print or e-mail their answers back to you. So consider putting the form in e-mail format, leaving just enough space for each answer.

Carefully Consider the Pre-Interview Questions

And make sure not to ask any discriminatory questions about race, age, color, height, sexual orientation and the like. Keep it just to the job description at hand.There are several advantages to using the pre-interview written evaluation. You not only save time in the interview process by culling the best of the leaders from the applicant pool, but you also get to see an applicant's writing skills.

Look for Leadership Skills in their Written Evaluation

Now it's time to ask the right questions to see if the applicant has leadership skills. For example, you could ask them to list one example where they were asked to lead a team. Maybe their answer will show that they've never led a team at all, but their answer should still show that they have leadership abilities.You can ask the applicant how they praised or acknowledged fellow employees and team members, and if they do it in public. You should get a good idea of how they work with a team, and how they recognize that team.You may also want to ask more open-ended questions, such as, have you ever tried to do a job that you were unqualified for? How did it work out? And did you accomplish that task?

The applicant's answers should show that they're willing to take risks and chances to achieve goals at work, they think on their feet, and make the most of every situation. Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit us on the web at About.com.