An interview is your first real opportunity for an employer to get to know a candidate. The time spent talking to them helps you look for potential red flags and decide if they are the right option for your opportunity. Even more, a well-conducted interview can lead to better hires and ultimately reduce turnover. Here are 10 questions to ask your candidate during the next interview.
1. What’s the first thing you would do in this role?
In asking this question, you learn about their knowledge of the job and their ambition. Any candidate can feel qualified, but you want to see the ones with a plan to come in and make a difference.
2. Why are you looking to leave your current job?
The reason the candidate wants to leave can be very telling. For example, you can learn how they view their current employer and uncover issues in their attitude. It can also show you his or her drive for advancement.
3. What is your ideal work environment?
Quite simply, here you can learn if his or her ideals match up with the reality of your organization.
4. What is your personal working style?
Similar to asking about their preferred environment is learning about how they like to work. Even the best candidate may leave if how they work doesn’t align with how things go at your company,
5. Can you tell me about a time you faced a challenge and what you did to overcome it?
It’s important to learn about a candidate’s problem-solving skills and how they view difficulties, including whether they crack under pressure.
6. What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position?
Anyone can stand on their resume and experience, but this phrasing helps you learn more about what they think they bring to the table and will hopefully go beyond just qualifications.
7. Where is an area where you would like to improve and how would you like to do it?
Not only do get a measure for how they view their own limitations, but you can see their drive to do something about it in order to advance.
8. What about this job attracted you?
You want to know why a candidate wanted to work for your company. It will weed out the people looking for a job anywhere and the ones with a passion to do the job you have available.
9. Looking at your career, what accomplishment makes you the proudest?
Through this question, you can hear about one of your candidate’s professional highlights and learn more about why it mattered so much to them.
10. What are your hobbies?
Even though most of the interview is centered around learning more about their professional accomplishments, it’s interesting to know what they enjoy outside of work. It helps establish more of a connection and learn more about the person as well as the candidate.
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