Interesting Interview question

✅ Very open

✅ Not exactly specific to a career or a business decision but could perhaps be posed as ‘Do you have any regrets in your career’? if it does, adjust to suit.

🕵 It may be a test of, or a question concerning emotional intelligence.

I love to ask this question because it invites a range of answers and can uncover some real gold.
Sample answer.I’m not somebody who dwells on the past or holds on to regrets because that can turn into a negative exercise. I also believe that a key decision that you made 20 years ago was made with a certain context and you were armed with information that you weighed up ‘at that time’I have had a successful career and would say I am at a level where I thought I would be considering my years of experience and career trajectory. I am on my 4th x five year plan believe it or not. My first one was made when I was 18 (Note to reader: more on this another time).

Do I at times wonder where I could have been had I partied less in my 20’s, saved more, became a world class entrepreneur – maybe, but i am continually educating myself, worked for and with great people, have a wonderful wife, two great kids and live in this wonderful country.
If you were to press me, I was once offered to work as a Quantity Surveyor in Hawaii which i turned down (I was six month into a great role with a Contractor in Ireland), that could have led to some interesting adventures..

What does this say about me?

✅ Thoughtful about where I have come from and where I am going.

✅ Self aware

✅ A Planner

✅ Deliberate

✅ Committed

✅ Tells interesting stories (ones that you want to hear more about) Stories are the key.

✅ Not afraid to be vulnerable

✅ Values are important

✅ Not boring