TELL ME ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU RECEIVED FEEDBACK THAT STUNG OR HURT YOUR FEELINGS.
Listen for an answer first and foremost. If the candidate does not have an experience like this to share, they likely are not experienced enough for the job.

Second, listen for an honest awareness and ability to express emotion, as well as the ability to effectively tell a story. Does the candidate set up the story in a compelling way? You should be able to figuratively ride the emotional roller coaster with them through their answer.

Third, steer clear of candidates who end their story by describing a trigger and their consequent defensiveness, indignation, and disengagement. Lean towards those that end by describing a point at which they moved past the sting, acknowledged the feedback as 100-percent true, and afterward took steps to grow from it.

CAN YOU RECALL A PARTICULAR TIME WHEN YOU HAD A STRONG WIN AT WORK?
Again, listen for a distinct answer. If the candidate does not have a winning story, it may be an indication that they have a lack of drive or a lack of enthusiasm about work more basically. When top talent wins at work—they are palpably excited by it. And that emotion is contagious.

Also, seek a discussion of others. Steer clear of candidates who do not mention contributions to the win from people outside themselves. This red flag signifies a competitive spirit—not a collaborative spirit. Top talent has a healthy balance of both ethos, and they have that early in their careers.

WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THIS JOB SPECIFICALLY?
Top candidates are not lobbing their résumés left and right. They carefully aim before putting their name in for consideration. So here you are looking for evidence that they know (a lot) about your organization as well as the unique position they are interviewing for.

Further, listen for how the candidate connects the job they’re interviewing for to their life and career goals. Top players know to optimize their goals in combination with each other. They should tell you where they want to be in five years, as well as how this exact job alley-oops them to their ideal of success.

TELL ME ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU FELT DEMORALIZED AT WORK. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?
Look for resilience. Why? Because it is common for demoralized people to quit. Avoid hiring people who admit to doing this. Ten times out of 10 they will bring their victim mentality with them to the next job they take.

Also, look for apt soft skills. Top talent will answer this question by describing how they used their emotional intelligence to pinpoint the source of initial agitation, and how they leveraged communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills to successfully do something about it.