IntacctIntacct CEO Robert Reid.One of the toughest parts of the job interview is that you have to be prepared for any question the person interviewing you chooses to lob in your direction.
But Robert Reid, CEO of the financial management software company Intacct, likes to flip things around by asking candidates what they want to talk about to start the interview.
In an interview with The New York Times' Adam Bryant, Reid explains that asking someone the question, "What do you want to talk about?" allows him to gauge their priorities and understand the flow of their thought process.
"I'm looking for someone who is naturally curious and has a good business mind, and is asking questions to understand how to win," Reid tells The New York Times.
Reid also uses the interview to ask what people think they bring to the table and which skills they need to improve upon.
Since Reid believes it's his company's goal to get better every day, anyone he hires needs to have already laid out in the interview at least one part of their game they intend to focus on.
Finally, he tries to get a sense of their long-term goals by asking what the inscription will say on the gold watch they get from their last employer when they retire.
"It allows me to understand truly what they really think of themselves," Reid explains to The Times.
Read the full New York Times interview here.
Want your business advice featured in Instant MBA? Submit your tips to tipoftheday@businessinsider.com. Be sure to include your name, your job title, and a photo of yourself in your email.