To understand a candidate's true drivers, ask them to walk through every major career decision they've made, from college choice to job changes. This narrative reveals patterns and motivations—such as status-chasing, financial incentives, or problem-solving focus—far more effectively than direct questions.

In a rapidly changing environment, adaptability ('malleability') is key. To get past rehearsed answers about work projects, ask candidates to describe personal changes they've made in their own lives. This reveals their genuine capacity for self-reflection and adaptation.

Asking a candidate when they first encountered the brand can reveal whether they are a true customer and believe in the mission. This question invites a conversation that helps suss out their level of preparation, empathy for the customer, and genuine interest beyond just seeking a job.

Asking candidates to describe themselves metaphorically (as a drink or spice) bypasses rehearsed answers. This forces authentic self-reflection, revealing deeper personality traits, personal history, and character far more effectively than standard interview questions.

The simple question "What motivates you?" can be a powerful filter. A Forterra leader was once told by a banking vice chairman that being motivated by "team mission" over money would make for a difficult finance career. This advice proved correct and became his favorite question to uncover a candidate's core intrinsic drivers.

Ditch standard FANG interview questions. Instead, ask candidates to describe a messy but valuable project they shipped. The best candidates will tell an authentic, automatic story with personal anecdotes. Their fluency and detail reveal true experience, whereas hesitation or generic answers expose a lack of depth.

Beyond IQ and EQ, interview for 'Resilience Quotient' (RQ)—the ability to persevere through setbacks. A key tactic is to ask candidates about their proudest achievement, then follow up with, 'What would you do differently?' to see how they navigated strife and learned from it.

Instead of generic interview questions, ask what truly motivates a candidate and what they'd do for a hobby if money weren't an issue. The way they describe these passions reveals their energy, personality, and core drivers far more effectively than rehearsed answers about work experience.

Directly asking about values often yields aspirational answers. A more effective method is to ask someone who they admire. The qualities they praise in others are a reliable indicator of the values they genuinely hold and strive to embody, revealing their character more accurately than a direct question.