The Top 10 Interview Questions to Ask Job Candidates
As a hiring manager, asking the right questions during a job interview is crucial to building a relationship, learning about the candidate’s communication style and gathering useful information about their personality. All of this can help you make a better hiring decision and determine if they have what it takes to be successful in your organization. While there are plenty of great questions you can ask, here are 10 interview questions to always have at the top of your list:
1. What do you know about our company and why do you want to work here?
It’s a basic question, but you would be surprised to find that not everyone does their research. Look for candidates who took the time to learn more about your company and are enthusiastic about the position.
2. What skills would you bring to this job?
Applicants should be able to think about how their talents and skills match the needs of the position. If their skillset doesn’t match what the job requires, do they have soft skills that would transfer well?
3. What’s a work accomplishment that makes you proud?
This is a great question because it gives you insight into how the person sees themselves. It can also demonstrate their values.
4. Do you like working with a team or alone?
This question will help you determine if they’d be a good fit for the kinds of assignments they would receive on the job. If they prefer working with a group and the job requires long stretches of working in solitude, it might not be the position for them.
5. How do you handle conflict?
The best candidates will be able to tell you how they respond to pressure and clearly explain how they overcome adverse situations. They will also be able to cite specific examples of action they took to solve a problem.
6. Describe your ideal workplace.
As the candidate describes their ideal workplace, think about the environment that they will be working in. Does their description match up? If not, they may not thrive at your company the way you intend them to.
7. What isn’t on your resume?
This is a great open-ended question to ask to really get to know a candidate. A resume usually only includes their recent, relevant work history, so asking if there’s anything else they might want to share can help you better understand their skills or interests.
8. What are you passionate about?
Asking a candidate about their passions is another way to gauge if they’re a good fit for the position. If they have a passion for something, especially outside of work, it could translate to being extra driven and motivated.
9. What interests you most about this position?
This open-ended question allows the candidate to bring up what specifically drew them to apply for the position. You’ll get a much better sense of the candidate and what they’re looking forward to in this role.
10. Do you have any questions for me?
This is a common but important question to ask at the end of an interview. Candidates who are interested typically come prepared to ask follow-up questions, showing they are engaged and have thought critically about the position.
The focus of the questions you ask will ultimately come down to your goals and what works best for your organization. Some of the best questions you can ask are open-ended or behavioral based, allowing you to gain a better understanding of who might possibly be joining the team, what they will expect to accomplish and how they can contribute to your company’s success.
If you’re looking for qualified, pre-screened candidates, contact the experts at The Reserves Network! We have candidates who may have already answered some of the important questions you find important to ask when adding new employees to your workforce.
