Construct Validity
Construct validity relates to whether a particular psychometric assessment...
section one
5 Effective Interview Questions to Measure Collaboration
Lead consultant at Test Partnership, Ben Schwencke, explains why Collaboration is worth measuring.
Collaboration is the backbone of success in any workplace. It is the process of individuals or groups working together towards a common goal, leveraging each other's strengths, and producing better results than what would be possible through individual efforts alone.
Collaboration is crucial for any organisation that wants to achieve growth, innovation, and productivity in today's fast-paced business environment.
Effective collaboration promotes teamwork, encourages creativity and diversity of thought, and fosters a culture of mutual respect and trust. When team members collaborate effectively, they become more accountable for their work, more willing to learn from each other, and more likely to share knowledge and resources. This results in better decision-making, higher quality output, and improved overall performance.
Interviewers play a crucial role in assessing whether candidates have the necessary skills and mind set for effective collaboration. By measuring a candidate's ability to collaborate during the interview process, hiring managers can ensure that they are selecting individuals who will fit into the organisation's culture, work well with others, and contribute positively to the team's success.
Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone with a different work style or personality than your own.
Would demonstrate a candidate's ability to work effectively with people who have different work styles or personalities than their own. The candidate would describe a specific example where they had to collaborate with someone with a different work style or personality and would articulate how they adjusted their approach to working with that person. A strong answer would also show the candidate's ability to reflect on the experience, describing what they learned and how they could apply it in future situations.
Would indicate a candidate's difficulty or inability to work effectively with people who have different work styles or personalities than their own. The candidate may struggle to provide a specific example or may describe a situation where they were unable to collaborate effectively with someone. They may also provide vague or generic answers, such as "I just tried to be flexible." A weak answer may also indicate a lack of awareness of the impact of different work styles or personalities on collaboration, showing a lack of interpersonal skills.
- 1. What specific differences in work style or personality did you encounter, and how did they impact your collaboration?
- 2. Can you walk me through the steps you took to bridge any gaps in communication or understanding?
- 3. What was the outcome of the collaboration, and what did you learn from the experience?
Can you give me an example of a time when you had to resolve a conflict or disagreement with a colleague or team member?
Would demonstrate a candidate's ability to manage conflict and find a mutually beneficial solution. The candidate would describe a specific example where they had to resolve a conflict or disagreement with a colleague or team member and would articulate how they approached the situation. A strong answer would also show the candidate's ability to reflect on the experience, describing what they learned and how they could apply it in future situations.
Would indicate a candidate's difficulty or inability to manage conflict or find a mutually beneficial solution. The candidate may struggle to provide a specific example or may describe a situation where the conflict or disagreement was not resolved effectively. They may also provide vague or generic answers, such as "We just agreed to disagree." A weak answer may also indicate a lack of awareness of the impact of conflict on team dynamics and productivity, suggesting they care little for resolving conflict.
- 1. What was the conflict or disagreement, and what was your role in it?
- 2. Can you walk me through the steps you took to resolve the conflict or disagreement?
- 3. What was the outcome of the situation, and what did you learn from the experience?
Can you describe a project or task that required you to work collaboratively with others?
Would demonstrate a candidate's ability to work effectively as part of a team and to contribute to the team's success. The candidate would describe a specific example of a project or task where they collaborated with others and would articulate their role in the collaboration. A strong answer would also show the candidate's ability to reflect on the experience, describing what they learned and how they have applied those lessons in future collaborations.
Would indicate a candidate's difficulty or inability to work collaboratively with others. The candidate may struggle to provide a specific example or may describe a situation where they were unable to contribute effectively to the team's success. They may also provide vague or generic answers, such as "We all worked together." A weak answer may also indicate a lack of awareness of the importance of collaboration in the workplace, seeing teams as just the sum of their parts.
- 1. What was the project or task, and who were the other individuals involved in the collaboration?
- 2. What was your specific role in the collaboration, and how did you contribute to the team's success?
- 3. What did you learn from the experience, and how have you applied those lessons in future collaborations?
Can you give me an example of a time when you had to lead a project or team? What was your approach, and what was the outcome?
Would demonstrate a candidate's ability to lead a project or team effectively. The candidate would describe a specific example of a project or team they led and would articulate their approach to leading it. A strong answer would also show the candidate's ability to reflect on the experience, describing what they learned and how they have applied those lessons in future leadership roles.
Would indicate a candidate's difficulty or inability to lead a project or team effectively. The candidate may struggle to provide a specific example or may describe a situation where they were unable to lead the project or team to success. They may also provide vague or generic answers, such as "I just tried to be a good leader." A weak answer may also indicate a lack of awareness of the importance of effective leadership in the workplace, ignoring the role that leaders play.
- 1. What was the project or team, and what was your specific role in leading it?
- 2. Can you walk me through your approach to leading the project or team?
- 3. What was the outcome of the project or team, and what did you learn from the experience?
Can you tell me about a time when you had to collaborate with others to solve a problem?
Would demonstrate a candidate's ability to work effectively as part of a team and collaborate with others to achieve a common goal. The candidate would describe a specific example of a problem or project they collaborated on and would articulate their approach to collaborating with others. A strong answer would also show the candidate's ability to reflect on the experience, describing what they learned and how they have applied those lessons in future collaborations.
Would indicate a candidate's difficulty or inability to work collaboratively with others. The candidate may struggle to provide a specific example or may describe a situation where they were unable to collaborate effectively with others. They may also provide vague or generic answers, such as "We all worked together." A weak answer may also indicate a lack of awareness of the importance of collaboration in the workplace, overemphasising the importance of individual contributions.
- 1. What was the problem or project, and who were the individuals involved in the collaboration?
- 2. Can you describe your approach to collaborating with others, including any challenges you faced and how you overcame them?
- 3. What was the outcome of the collaboration, and what did you learn from the experience?
section two
Limitations of interview questions for Collaboration
In reality, interviews are perhaps not the ideal mechanism for measuring collaboration in the workplace. As an assessment method, interviews tend to advantage candidates who are influential and charismatic. Although these interpersonal skills may be advantageous, they are not the intended competencies, reducing the interview's ability to measure a wide range of soft skills. Additionally, a strong answer to interview questions pertaining to collaboration could be reached simply through interview practice and preparation, rather than a genuine behavioural predisposition towards collaboration.
Test Partnership's range of assessments, however, is designed specifically to measure the underlying psychological traits that underpin collaboration. These include emotional intelligence, agreeableness, extraversion, and many more. By measuring these soft skills directly through behavioural assessment, you avoid many of the disadvantages associated with relying solely on interviews, improving the quality of hire. For more information on our assessments, please contact us directly or feel free to register for a free trial.
