What do you do if you're struggling to spot the creativity in candidates?

During interviews, ask non traditional questions such as scenario-based questions, problem solving questions which help them to go beyond their prepared answers and depict more towards of their creative side. Moreover, throw some real time problems which you are facing and see what's their thought process of analysing and solving the problem.

Open-Ended Questions: During interviews, ask open-ended questions that prompt candidates to demonstrate their creative thinking abilities. For example, you might ask them to describe a time when they had to solve a complex problem or come up with an innovative solution to a challenge. Present Scenarios/Challenges: Present candidates with hypothetical scenarios or real-world challenges relevant to the role they're applying for and ask how they would approach solving them. Work Samples or Portfolios: If applicable, review candidates' work samples or portfolios to assess the creativity and innovation demonstrated in their past projects or achievements. Look for evidence of out-of-the-box thinking, unique approaches, and original ideas.

If you're struggling to spot creativity in candidates, try engaging them in problem-solving tasks or scenarios during interviews. Look for unconventional solutions, original ideas, and a willingness to think outside the box. Additionally, ask about their past experiences where they demonstrated creativity or innovation. Observing their thought process and approach to challenges can help you assess their creative potential.

Creativity and innovation can be found in the smallest things, so we shouldnt expect candidatos to come up with the largest ideas or projects as examples of possessing these competencies. It’s highly encouraged to guide a candidate with the right question in order to motivate them to think in and out of the box when you are evaluating this skill. For example: could the candidate give an example of small work activity that they improved in order to make the day to day operacions go more smoother. Or can they think of a problem that they recently discovered and were able to solve by using their creativity? By keeping the questions simple, you make the evaluation of this skills more available even though their job is not innovation related

Following a standard interview script for different candidates is the biggest no-no here. Instead, throwing live and contrasting business problems/scenarios is a good starter. Then, you push them to look for alternate solutions, and not having a rigid mindset when evaluating their answers always helps individuals explore their creative side.

In interviews, open-ended questions are key to unlocking candidates' creative potential. By posing scenarios or problems without clear answers, we invite candidates to showcase their thinking and problem-solving skills. Their responses reveal not just their ideas but also their approach to challenges and ability to innovate. This method fosters a deeper understanding of candidates' creative capabilities, helping us identify those with the vision and adaptability to thrive in dynamic environments.

Nevertheless if you actually want to evaluate a competency like creativity, you can take the next step and invest competency based interview skills like Starr or core method. These methods help the candidate give you the opportunity to evaluate the extend to which they possess a certain skill by giving you a clear example of a real life situation. Also this methods avoid large or hypothetical answers like: ‘if I was in a situation like that, I would….’

Why not turn your interviews into intellectual playgrounds? By asking open-ended questions, you create a space where candidates can let their imaginations run free and demonstrate their ability to solve problems in innovative ways. This unconventional approach assesses not only the candidate's creativity, but also their adaptability and resilience in the face of the unexpected. In addition, it makes the interview more dynamic and memorable, providing a positive experience for candidates. Creativity is more than just the ability to generate original ideas. It's also the ability to connect ideas that seem unrelated, to take risks and to persevere in the face of challenge.

Pose questions that require candidates to think creatively or problem-solve. For example, you could present them with a hypothetical scenario and ask how they would approach it or encourage them to brainstorm innovative solutions to a particular challenge.

Through open questions and observation of the candidate's responses, you can check their creativity. Here some tips to help you: 1-Questions about Past Projects: Invite the candidate to discuss projects they have previously worked on. Inquire about their contribution and observe if the candidate proposed original or innovative solutions to solve problems. 2-Hypothetical Scenarios: Present the candidate with hypothetical situations related to the position or industry and ask them to propose solutions or ideas. This can reveal their ability to think creatively. 3-Live Brainstorming: Conduct a live brainstorming session during the interview. Present a problem or challenge and ask the candidate to generate ideas on how to address it.

Consider using an escape room-style test where candidates can demonstrate the creativity you're looking for. As they collaborate in the escape room, you'll be able to see how they work in a team, who is more creative in their ideas, and who is a good leader.

Introduce a new recruitment method by offering challenges to your candidates. This innovative approach brings their creative skills to light in a concrete and impactful way. For optimal assessment, make sure the challenges are relevant to the position to be filled. Add a collaborative dimension to your challenges. By working as a team, candidates will be able to demonstrate not only their creative skills, but also those of their colleagues.

Assigning challenges or work samples is a proactive way to assess candidates' creativity. These tasks simulate real scenarios, providing a tangible demonstration of their problem-solving and innovative thinking. By observing how candidates tackle these challenges, recruiters gain valuable insights into their creative abilities and suitability for the role. This practical approach complements traditional assessments, offering a comprehensive view of candidates' potential to contribute creatively to the organization.

Consider incorporating practical exercises or mini-projects into the interview process to assess candidates' creativity firsthand. This could involve asking them to complete a creative task or solve a problem within a limited timeframe, allowing you to observe their creative process in action.

Involve other team members or colleagues in the interview process and solicit their feedback on candidates' creativity. Different perspectives can provide valuable insights and help you make a more informed assessment.

If the position is more technical or intermediate, incorporating group dynamics and assigning challenges can be an engaging way to assess candidates' abilities. Here's an explanation about it something we used in the past: You can organize activities where candidates work together in groups. For example, you might give them a task or a problem to solve as a team, like brainstorming ideas for a project or finding solutions to a hypothetical problem related to the job. This approach allows you to see how candidates interact with others, how they communicate their ideas, and how they face challenges collectively.

Successful companies understand that diversity is not just a box to check, but a real driver of creativity. By recruiting candidates from a variety of backgrounds, you inject a multitude of perspectives into your team. Explore diverse recruitment channels: use under-represented networks, online platforms, networking events and partnerships with diverse organizations in addition to traditional methods. Reassess your selection criteria: think beyond degrees and specialized experience. Transferable skills, life experience and the ability to learn quickly are equally valuable, if not more so Foster an inclusive culture: Create an environment where everyone feels valued and listened to, encouraging trust, collaboration and creative expression

To spot creativity in candidates, review their portfolio for innovative work, ask about past creative problem-solving experiences, and present hypothetical scenarios to assess their adaptability and originality. Look for signs of passion, curiosity, and effective communication. Involve team members in the process for diverse perspectives, and consider using assessments tailored to creative thinking skills. These strategies help ensure you identify candidates with the creativity your team needs.

Define your need for creativity. Many companies ask for it, but don't provide an environment to support it. If you hire a creative person into a role that restricts them, you'll cause a new problem. Creativity needs to be contagious to work. You must build an environment that networks creative thought by connecting it to creative action. If you're hiring for creativity, ask yourself what happens if that person is creative in their position.

The best way to identify and assess any unique or particular skill set in the interview process is through behavioural-based questions. Trying to spot or "get a feel" for creativity is not going to work. For example, if creativity is a prerequisite for the role, asking a candidate to explain a specific situation where they had to use creativity to achieve a successful result can be effective. Then, guiding them through the response and understanding how to weigh and score it based on the specificity and personal contribution to the successful result is crucial. If a particular skill set or behaviour is massively important, you could ask two or three different behaviour and situation-based questions to truly assess their fit for the position

At Growara, we've innovated our interview process, moving away from conventional question-and-answer formats, we encourage candidates to present a past project or task that highlights their creative prowess. Additionally, we facilitate scenario-based tasks where candidates tackle real-world problems in real-time. This hands-on approach is complemented by our "Portfolio Reviews," where candidates bring a collection of their work or detailed case studies. During these sessions, they delve into the creative challenges encountered, their problem-solving processes, and the innovative solutions they crafted.