Will He Go or Will She Stay? Questions to Gauge Commitment

BV practices that are struggling from a lack of available talent have little choice but to hire from competitors. They pay sign-on bonuses and inflated salaries to pull applicants, which leaves an opening with those competitors. The competitors hire from others, and the cycle goes on and on.

A recent survey by consulting firm West Monroe found that 82% of employees felt a sense of loyalty to their current employer. However, 59% of the people surveyed also stated that they would leave their current company for a more appealing offer.

Let’s say that you’ve found the right candidate for your practice. But you’re not sure what their long-term career goals are. Assessing a potential employee’s level of commitment requires asking questions about why they’ve left past positions and what they’re looking for in their new role.

Try asking some of these straight-to-the point interview questions to find out more about your candidate’s long-term intentions and what level of commitment they are likely to have if they are offered the job.

1. What makes you want to leave your current role?
2. What could your current company change about your job, your team, or their culture to keep you?
3. What is your ideal work environment?
4. Would you take a job with a different work culture but a higher salary, or a lower salary with an ideal work culture? Why?
5. Where do you see yourself in 1 year? 5 years?
6. What do you know about this role?
7. What would motivate you to stay at our company for the next 5 years?
8. Where else are you applying?
9. Do you have any hesitations about this job?
10. How will you bring value to this position? Why should I hire you?

As you review their answers, think about what factors are important for building commitment from your new hires.  Do you share similar values with them?  Will they work well in your environment?  Does your job opportunity provide an alternative to the factors (lack of professional development, management problems, etc.) that made them unhappy in their current role?  Has the candidate done their homework about your company?  Are they excited to start?  How can they help you now and in the future?  Do they see a future with you?  Can you meet their aspirations?

It’s natural for people to move on from jobs.  No one’s behavior is 100 percent predictable.  Sometimes a new opportunity arises that is too good to pass up. Sometimes there is nothing you can do about it.  But you can uncover clues to a candidate’s level of commitment by asking the right questions.

Do you need help assessing and building commitment in your workplace?  Ellen Warden works with BV/LS practices around the country to help them align their HR solutions with long-term objectives. You can reach Ellen at WorkPlace Synergy.