Retention starts with recruiting: the wrong person hired to do a job is likely to leave fairly quickly, regardless of how hard you try to engage them.
But how do you screen for that? How do you hire people likely to stay?
Below are a few examples of interview questions you might consider adding to your hiring process. All the attributes suggested below have been shown via decades of research to be highly predictive of retention.
I’ve broken them down into categories. And if you want to learn more about reducing turnover in call centers, warehouses, and other high-volume roles, check out this free guide.
General Life & Career Satisfaction
The degree to which an individual likes other aspects relevant to employment, such as his or her career or life in general.
Interview Question (1): On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied would you say you are with your career right now, and why? |
Explanation (1): The key to this question is to gauge the overall level of positivity or negativity of the candidate. Research has shown that an overall positive perspective on life and one’s career translates directly into higher retention on the job as well.
Interview Question (2): Tell me about the worst situation you got yourself into at your last employer. |
Explanation (2): Viewed through a turnover lens, this question is much more about how the candidate views an event than how they got there in the first place. You’re watching for whether the candidate views those situations from the perspective of an optimist or a pessimist. Pessimists are more likely to be dissatisfied in a general sense with life and their careers. Research has shown that this translates directly into a higher likelihood of turnover as well.
Coping Ability
An individual’s abilities to manage internal and external demands that are perceived as exceeding available resources.
Interview Question (3): Tell me about a time you experienced burn-out. What caused it? How did you handle it? |
Explanation (3): You’re looking for evidence that this person can juggle multiple hard things. The more difficult the demands placed upon them (both internal and external to a job) and the greater the evidence that they were able to manage those demands, the greater the evidence that they can do the same at your organization. If helpful, how the candidate responded to that trying time can be confirmed via a reference call as well.
General Career Commitment
The degree to which an individual experiences loyalty to targets other than the organization, such as his or her occupation or career.
Interview Question (4): What are the largest sacrifices you have made thus far in your career? |
Explanation (4): The past is the best predictor for the future, and a person who can demonstrate above-average commitment to the success of his/her career is more likely to bring that same commitment to you at your organization. Research has shown this trait to be highly correlated with retention.
Interview Question (5): On a scale of 1-10, how important would you say your career is to you? How has that impacted your decisions thus far? |
Explanation (5): This is not intended to identify people who value their career success above all else. The best candidates often have many values they hold dear, many which are held in higher esteem than career success. However, you’re looking for strong evidence of commitment to one’s career in the form of diligence, perseverance, or sacrifice.
Job Fit
Compatibility between an individual and a work environment that occurs when their characteristics are well matched.
Interview Question (6): Can you tell me the [3] main reasons you have left jobs in the past? |
Explanation (6): You’re looking for themes for their leaving prior jobs that are likely to apply to the current job environment as well. For example, if a person has left a job in the past due to a lack of opportunity, follow-up questioning may reveal whether they’ll encounter those same kinds of issues in the role they’d be assuming at your company.
Interview Question (7): What are your strengths? |
Explanation (7): This is a common and sometimes-criticized interview question. But viewing through a turnover lens gives you a different interpretation of a candidate’s response. According to Gallup research, people who use their strengths at work every day are six times more likely to be engaged. Knowing how a candidate’s strengths match those things they’ll be doing daily in the job can be a good early indicator of the degree to which they’ll feel suited for the role. People are more likely to stay in jobs where they can become their best selves; it’s hard to be your best when you’re using your left hand and you’re right handed.
Organizational Commitment
The psychological attachment and loyalty an employee feels towards their organization. It includes their desire to stay, belief in the organization's goals, and willingness to work hard for it.
Example A Interview Question (8): Why did you apply to this position? |
Explanation (8): You’re looking for as much candidate alignment with the organization and what it does as possible. Candidate alignment with the organization could come in the form of an affinity for the company’s product, a passion for its mission, or a host of other potential attractions. All can serve as evidence to some degree that the person is more likely to stay once hired.
For more on reducing turnover in High-volume jobs, check out this free guide.