Look for honesty and transparency in the answer. Many talented employees lose their jobs in layoffs, so suppress any desire to stigmatize those who were part of a downsizing.

However, if the individual offers a vague reference to differing opinions or the arrival of a new boss, dig deeper for possible performance issues that can be verified through reference checking. “As you listen to each answer, look for a situational context within which you can judge the individual’s decision-making abilities, decisiveness and ability to work in concert with others,” Falcone says.