The dialog between interviewer and interviewee during a modern-day job interview is more in depth than a simple “tell me about yourself.” It is necessary to plan out the right questions to ask so that you can get accurate insight into candidates in order to hire someone with acceptable job fit. There are 3 types of questions we are going to cover—the must-asks, the unusual-but-importants, and the questions candidates want you to ask.
The must-asks include some of the more common, simpler questions:
- Why do you want to work at this company and what are your expectations?
- Who inspires you and why?
- What motivates you to come to work every day?
- How do you rely on others to make you better?
The unusual interview questions are just as important; they just need a bit of an explanation to be understood:
- Why shouldn’t I hire you? – This interview question highlights the candidate’s integrity, self-awareness, and transparency.
- How do you like to celebrate success? – This helps identify cultural fit.
- How does your last company differ from their competitors? – A candidate’s answer will give you the information to determine what they learned from their previous organization.
- Why did you choose to join your last employer? – This question allows for some insight into the candidate’s decision-making process as well as their needs in a work environment.
Next, the questions the candidates want you to ask and why:
- What makes you angry? – This makes candidates conscious of their anger levels and how to handle them in a work setting.
- Have you remained close with any former colleagues from past jobs? – Candidates will reflect on, and hopefully improve, their work relationship habits.
- What do you think would be your biggest challenge in this role? How would you struggle most to get up to speed? – Being aware of potential challenges and communicating them helps you start off on the right foot.
- What makes you think you can do this job? – Give them the chance to sell themselves to you; they can give you better insight than a resume could.
Asking the right questions when conducting an interview is an easy way to give you more useful insight into the job fit and cultural fit of your candidates. Contact us today to learn more. You can find more interview tips on our conducting interviews page. Check it out today!
