Eight questions. Filters time-wasters before your calendar fills up.
Structured around the 3 H's. Send this before any first interview. Only candidates who score 24 or above should get your time.
Tell us about a piece of work you are genuinely proud of. What made it difficult and what was your specific contribution?
Score 5: Specific project, clear personal contribution, concrete difficulty, proud for a real reason. Answers quickly and with energy.
Score 1: Cannot name a specific piece of work. “I always try to do a good job.”
What have you done in the last twelve months to develop a skill or area of knowledge outside of your job requirements?
Score 5: Specific skill, self-chosen, clear reason connected to where they are going, can describe what they have built or learned.
Score 1: Nothing. Or a mandatory work training.
Describe a professional mistake you made. What happened and what did you do about it?
Score 5: Owns it cleanly. No blame. Specific learning. Changed a behaviour. Would tell their manager.
Score 1: “I can't really think of one.” Or the mistake is trivially small.
Tell us about a time you received feedback that was difficult to hear. How did you respond?
Score 5: Specific critical feedback, no initial defensiveness, clear behaviour change, grateful for it in retrospect.
Score 1: “My managers have always been happy with my work.” Or the feedback was mild.
Where do you want to be in three years? What specific steps are you already taking to get there?
Score 5: Clear direction, active steps already underway, the role they are applying for connects logically to their answer.
Score 1: “I just want to do a good job.” Vague. No active steps. No obvious connection to this role.
Tell us about a time you took on a responsibility that was not in your job description. What motivated you?
Score 5: Self-initiated. Specific gap they identified. Motivation was the work, not visibility or reward.
Score 1: Nothing comes to mind. Or the responsibility was assigned to them.
What specifically attracts you to this type of role, and why now?
Score 5: Specific to this role and this company. Shows research. Clear timing logic. Not generic.
Score 1: “I am looking for a new opportunity.” Generic. Could apply to any role.
Have you worked remotely or with an international team before? What did you learn about making it work?
Score 5: Direct experience. Specific practices they developed. Positive framing. Understands the discipline required.
Score 1: No experience and no real thought about it. Or negative framing.
Ready to send?
Copy the eight questions below and paste into Typeform, Tally, Google Form, or email.
1. [HARD WORKING] Tell us about a piece of work you are genuinely proud of. What made it difficult and what was your specific contribution? 2. [HARD WORKING] What have you done in the last twelve months to develop a skill or area of knowledge outside of your job requirements? 3. [HUMBLE] Describe a professional mistake you made. What happened and what did you do about it? 4. [HUMBLE] Tell us about a time you received feedback that was difficult to hear. How did you respond? 5. [HUNGRY] Where do you want to be in three years? What specific steps are you already taking to get there? 6. [HUNGRY] Tell us about a time you took on a responsibility that was not in your job description. What motivated you? 7. [ROLE FIT] What specifically attracts you to this type of role, and why now? 8. [GLOBAL FIT] Have you worked remotely or with an international team before? What did you learn about making it work?
Skip the qualification round entirely.
Every candidate we shortlist has already scored 32+ against the 3 H's. Book a free 20-minute call.
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