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How to avoid asking commonly asked questions in an interview when you know you have to ask certain scripted questions anyways?

How to make the interview interesting for both, interviewer and the interviewee, and still get the answers of certain commonly asked questions BUT in a different way, as this could bring the original person out of that candidate who is already prepared the scripted answers to those commonly asked questions.

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Question added by Muhammad Adnan , HR Executive , Arif Habib Group
Date Posted: 2013/06/18
Aziz Virani
by Aziz Virani , Manager, Human Resources , Ziauddin University

I have recently read an article at linkedin and agreed that best interviewer don’t ask question but communicate with the candidate…convert interview into conversation….
Link of that article is here: (URL removed due to policy violation. Please contact support for further information.) Best interview is where interviewer provide comfort to interviewee and provide an opportunity to interviewee to open his heart….skills can be trained but attitude is what matters most and we should hire people for their real positive and honest attitude rather than sweet coated attitude……

Shobha Jaison
by Shobha Jaison , Senior Manager- Human Development , Bayt.com

This is a great question! Thank you.
Like you have mentioned candidates are often well rehearsed to answer certain interview questions.
However, candidates tend to get stressed during the interview and appear unprepared.
Breaking the ice at the start of an interview is a great way to get the candidate comfortable.
This can be done by giving the candidate a tour of the office (a promising office environment often makes the candidate “want” to do well in the interview), giving the candidate a few minutes by him/herself (with access to relevant reading material), offering refreshments, etc.
The interviewer can also make the interview interesting by introducing him/herself, career highlights within the organization and an exciting summary about the organization as well.
Many a time, the interviewer cannot avoid 'commonly asked questions' but they can always frame these questions in an interesting or unassuming manner.
If there is a script to be followed by the interviewer, s/he should be at ease with the script so that they do not keep looking at the script or sound like they are following a script.
When the questions and answers flow naturally from the interviewer and interviewee, the interview is bound to be a pleasant one.

Samar Abu Shaban
by Samar Abu Shaban , Regional HR Operations manager , souq.com

I believe their should be structured interview, you have competencies and you need to score it for all candidates.
You should structure your interview away from the commonly questions yet still examining the required competencies.

Kokab Rahman
by Kokab Rahman , Managing Director, Head of Business Development , Radeya Business Services http://www.radeya.biz

An interview is a two-way street where the two parties (interviewer and interviewee) communicate information about themselves to each other.
Be sure to remain relaxed in the interview as it will go a long way in making a positive impression on the interviewer.

Esraa Ahmed
by Esraa Ahmed , Senior Office Administrator/Office Supervisor , Altakamul International School

Agree with Mr Aziz its beter to make the interview as afriendly communication to avoid stressed not questions and answers

Mehboob Yaqoob
by Mehboob Yaqoob , Organizational Development Lead , Paraffin Lubricants Manufacturing

The interviewer or assessor needs to be aware of time management and air time as well. Previously it used to80:20 (80% for candidate and20% for interviewer). However, in order to ensure a healthy discussion/communication with a purpose in mind, I recommed it at70:30 ratio (in some situations even60:40 is also recommended) keeping in mind that every question must have an objective and purpose attached to it and that interviewer will need to display very good listening skills as well.

Yasantha Rajaratne
by Yasantha Rajaratne , Manager Human Resources , Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (gte) Ltd

you can rephrase the question to extract the information you need. scripted questions are designed for a purpose; to get certain information that would help the recruiters make a sound decision. If you can get the required information, you can rephrase the question to make the interview interesting for both, and also, save time. 

According to me, Doing some resarch about th employer will probably help to avoid commonly asked questions and it is best to ask some question(s) based on your research.

Mohammed Noufal
by Mohammed Noufal , Store keeper cum drive , Worker village real esate

What is your greatest weakness?

How to make the interview interesting for both, interviewer and the interviewee, and still get the answers of certain commonly asked questions BUT in a different way, as this could bring the original person out of that candidate who is already prepared the scripted answers to those commonly asked questions.

Mohammad Hasan Annuari
by Mohammad Hasan Annuari , Construction Project Manager , FLORIDABLANCA CONSTRUCTION AND DEV. CORP.

I agree with Mr. Aziz it is better to interview by way of communicating rather than questioning. By way of conversation a person is more comfortable and relax in anwering you and that you can determine and measure of what he/she is.

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