September 13th, 2016

Are You A ‘Purpose-Oriented’ Professional?

Three Interview Questions to Find Out…

A new study by LinkedIn Talent Solutions and Imperative found that Purpose-Oriented professionals around the world are more satisfied in their jobs and expect to stay in them longer. The study builds on previous research by Imperative with NYU that showed the overwhelming advantages to hiring people who define their careers primarily around impact and fulfillment and status.

Hiring purpose-oriented people is now a clear imperative for high performing teams and organizations. So, how do you screen for purpose in an interview to assess the likelihood that someone is Purpose-Oriented and likely to be a better hire and colleague?
​
Here are three questions we advise our Certified Purpose Leaders to use to begin to spot people who are oriented to work for the right reasons. No one question is definitive but together they provide a pretty clear understanding of a candidate’s orientation to work and therefore their likely success:

1. If you could retire tomorrow, what would you do?
Purpose-oriented people view work as being about making an impact and don’t just work for money, recognition or status. As a result, they tend to envision retirement as being an opportunity to continue to make an impact and grow as people. If they suddenly didn’t have to work, they would still work in some capacity to challenge themselves and help others.

2. Who are you still close to from each of your previous jobs?
Purpose-oriented people have stronger relationships at work and are more authentic. They tend to see coworkers as friends and value them beyond their transactional value. As a result, they are more likely to stay in touch with them after their leave a job.

3. Walk me through the major decisions you have made in your career and what drove you to make each decision?
Purpose-oriented people tend to make major career decisions (e.g. changing jobs) because they are seeking greater opportunities to make an impact, to have new challenges or build stronger relationships. They are less likely to be motivated to make changes due to money or promotions.
​
Note: A single negative response to any of these questions is not proof that someone isn’t Purpose-Oriented, but a pattern emerges with most candidates across the three questions which gives you a pretty clear sense for the role of work in their lives.