Motivation-based Interviewing: A Revolutionary Approach to Hiring the Best

by Carol Quinn

The attendees are the interviewers, and I play the candidate. I give them an interviewing scenario where they just asked me why I want to leave my current job. Then I disclose a shocking tidbit—that I’m about to go ballistic if my current boss doesn’t quit picking on me. I realize this is an extreme scenario, but it works well to make a point. Attendees are challenged to respond to me in a way that will persuade me to disclose more information. My guard must remain down, or they won’t get more details from me. For those who’ve attended a workshop where I’ve used this exercise, you already know exactly what I’m talking about. We usually have to go through half a dozen or more people before someone responds in a way that actually persuades me (the candidate) to spill the beans.