At a time when the balance of power between applicants and recruiters is shifting, a large number of job interviews are still being conducted in ignorance of this reality. Through ignorance, denial or resistance, recruiters continue to ask sterile, invasive questions.

Not only do these questions fail to assess the candidate's personality, motivation and skills, they can also backfire and tarnish the company's image. Here's a look at 5 questions it's (really) time to drop.

"Name me 3 flaws and 3 qualities"

An inescapable question since Methuselah, candidates are weary of coming across this one, which, let's face it, doesn't encourage frankness. On the contrary, it opens the door to a ready-made answer such as "I'm a perfectionist", which doesn't provide any sincere information.

So why do recruiters keep asking this question? And why should applicants have to rack their brains to come up with a more original answer?

After all, the job interview is a two-way conversation. And talented people are making this clear by becoming increasingly demanding, to the point of behaving like "job consumers". As a result, the recruiter must also do what's necessary to make the candidate experience pleasant and rewarding, with questions that encourage a sincere exchange and allow us to appreciate each other's compatibility.

What if, instead of this (too) banal question, you simply invited your interviewer to talk about him or herself? Knowing how to describe your personality is a revealing exercise in a candidate's capacity for self-analysis. The information he chooses to give you will tell you more about his personality and self-esteem than a traditional "name 3 faults and 3 qualities"!

"Do you plan on having children?”

A question specifically addressed to 30-year-old women applying for a position of responsibility. In the sexist camp, it doesn't get any better than this! If up to now the interview seemed to be going well, with this question it's a sure fall. Quite apart from the fact that the law forbids questioning the candidate on this subject, the history behind this question is pretty heavy!

In fact, how many women have been rejected, put on the back burner or thanked for their service because they were about to become mothers? In the minds of women who want to have a child, nothing good can come of this question. Whether they choose to lie or tell the truth, their future maternity will (too) often be seen as an obstacle to their success.

The result? If you dare to ask this question, you're taking a big risk. Your interlocutor may take offense and draw hasty conclusions about your corporate culture, even though your intentions are good (e.g. anticipating a possible reorganization of the department in the event of maternity leave). If you come across someone with a strong sense of justice, be prepared to receive a bad review on platforms such as Glassdoor or social networks!

"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

Let's say it once and for all: no one can play fair with this question. Either the candidate has no idea where he sees himself in 5 years' time, and comes across as lost, unstable and unambitious. For the recruiter, this is a response that has all the hallmarks of a failed recruitment. He'll imagine a lazy, hard-to-motivate employee who'll jump ship after a year with the company.

Either the candidate aspires to take the place of his N+1 and climb the ladder to become the big boss. This is all it takes for the candidate to come across as over-ambitious or even presumptuous in the eyes of the recruiter, who knows nothing about them - and therefore draws hasty conclusions. This is particularly true in countries with a French culture that values restraint, moderation and patience over boldness and ambition.

Or the candidate is planning to change companies in 3 years' time, to gain new professional experience and develop. In this case, how can he be honest with a company that is having difficulty recruiting and retaining staff? This answer will definitely put him offside, even though it's up to the company to do what's necessary to make employees want to come and stay!

"Why should we hire you?

If the candidate is standing in front of you, it's because he or she has successfully passed the CV and cover letter stage. The first step is to assess the suitability of the application. At this stage of the recruitment process, it's up to you to find out more about the candidate's motivation and skills, using specific questions, case studies or personality tests.

What's more, it's an uncomfortable question to ask if you're humble, discreet and introverted by nature. Not to mention the fact that the candidate has no point of comparison! Indeed, how can he convince you that he's the right person without any information on the background, skills and personality of his competitors? It's a far cry from a fair fight...

"Are you punctual?" or "Are you creative? "

Some questions don't lend themselves to transparency. This is precisely the case with questions like "Are you punctual? The candidate knows that if he qualifies his answer with "I'm occasionally late", it's not going to work. Just as the recruiter doesn't expect a sincere answer. So this kind of question is a waste of everyone's time.

Instead, consider other techniques. For example, there are far more reliable solutions for assessing candidates' creativity, such as soft skills questionnaires and questions focusing on experience, professional situations and assignments completed.

As you can see, there are certain habits that must be abandoned because they are sterile and harmful to the company. For your next recruitment campaigns, remember to give your question framework a little polish!