There’s a skill to asking job interview questions to get to know your candidate better.
If you want to DIY your own candidate interviews here are 12 questions we believe are the most important to ask, together with a quick overview of the reasons why.
#1 – Briefly walk me quickly through your experience and background as it relates to the position you’ve applied for
What you’re looking for here is whether the candidate can give you the Reader’s Digest version of their professional history or whether they gave you the (almost) “once upon a time….” edition.
Does what they’re telling you match what’s written in their CV?
If the position requires someone to be able to think on their feet, can they do this?
PRO RECRUITER ALERT
Just be aware – not everyone is as honest as you. A survey undertaken by Career Builder revealed that almost six candidates in ten (58%) lie on their resumes.
#2 – Tell me about your position at………
The way your candidate answers this question will give you an indication as to what type of team member they are.
Is their success (according to them) solely because of their skills and expertise or is it because of the combination of the skills and expertise of a team?
How are they highlighting relevant experience and/or skills to the position they’re applying for?
How are they turning around irrlevant experience into something relevant?
PRO RECRUITER ALERT
– Alarm Bells & Red Flags
– Are they constantly complaining – whining about everyone else?
– Fudging their answer?
#3 – Were there any changes to this role while you were in it…?
How flexible is the candidate?
Do they have potential for bigger and greater things?
PRO RECRUITER ALERT
BE AWARE – by their very nature, not all roles can change – position functionality needs to be kept in mind – so even if a role cannot change does your candidate exhibit leadership or mentoring skills instead?
#4 – What do you like most / least about working at «company xyz»…?
Best:
- interesting / challenging / engaged / committed?
- open to growth?
- loved the money <>
Worst:
- frustrations – is it always someone else’s fault?
- limited growth?
#5 – Why are you leaving «company xyz»..?
What you’re looking for is how they answer this question and whether or not you can verify the fact(s):
- Laid off / company closing / moving / contracting: all of this is easy to verify and has nothing to do with the candidate’s performance.
- Money-related: they haven’t been given a pay rise when they believe they deserve one or their personal circumstances have changed and they require a bigger income (eg, started a family)
- Personality differences: management? team members? candidate?
- Time for a change: before you accept this at face value check how long they’ve been in their current role? Is there a trend happening? {{how long would you like to see the candidate work for you before it’s time for another change?}}
PRO RECRUITER ALERT
VERIFY! VERIFY! VERIFY!
ALWAYS check the “facts” you’re given.
#6 – What attracts you most about the position you’re applying for …?
Have they done their homework?
Do they know anything about your company?
Can they demonstrate understanding of the expectations of the role?
PRO RECRUITER ALERT
PROFICIENCY vs PERSONALITY
Use this question to help you identify whether a candidate’s attitude will fit in your organisation.
#7 – Tell me about using «skill set abc»
This is self-explanatory – you want to know they can do what you’re going to be paying them to do.
PRO RECRUITER ALERT
Make sure none of their answers are fudged or glossed over.
If the you don’t know much about the skill sets required (eg, they’re of a technical or scientific nature) make sure you know what answers you’re looking for from someone who does know the answers.
#8 – Tell me about at least one significant career achievement…
This is the question that gives you insight into their how achievement-oriented they are (especially important for sales roles).
At the same time, learning new skills indicates someone is teachable and have a growth mindset.
#9 – Do you have any career goals…?
Are you about to be hiring someone who wants to rule the world…?
Are their career goals in line with your organisation’s growth plans…?
Are you interviewing someone who’s off-the-scale-ambitious or off-the-scale unmotivated…?
#10 – Other positions…?
The last thing you want is to offer your perfect candidate the role only to be told they’ve just accepted another position.
PRO RECRUITER ALERT
Make sure none of their answers are fudged or glossed over.
If the you don’t know much about the skill sets required (eg, they’re of a technical or scientific nature) make sure you know what answers you’re looking for from someone who does know the answers.
#11 – Background checks and other verification permission…
Ensure you’ve got a candidate’s permission to run any pre-employment checks you need to complete:
- drug and alcohol tests
- referees
- qualifications
- credit checks
- competency
#12 – Other questions…
This is a great opportunity to see whether the candidate has done any research about your company and/or the position they’re applying for.