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BREADCRUMB OF THE ROBERT HALF WEBSITE

 1. The Robert Half Blog
 2. The Top 15 Interview Questions to Ask Job Candidates




THE TOP 15 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TO ASK JOB CANDIDATES


By Robert Half on February 10, 2022 at 2:45pm
     


15 Questions for an Interview

 1.  What do you know about our company, and why do you want to work here?
 2.  What skills and strengths can you bring to this position?
 3.  Can you tell me about your current job?
 4.  What could your current company do to be more successful?
 5.  Can you tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with a boss or
     colleague?
 6.  Do you work best alone or on a team?
 7.  Why are you leaving your current job?
 8.  How would your coworkers describe you?
 9.  How would your boss describe you?
 10. Where do you see yourself in five years?
 11. How do you manage deadline pressure?
 12. In your most recent role, was there a time when you had to overcome a
     significant challenge?
 13. What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on in a past position?
 14. What’s one fact that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?
 15. Do you have any questions for me?

It's time to fill that vacancy on your team, and the pressure is on to find a
job candidate who has all the skills and professional experience you need. But
can you determine that — and more — from just an interview? It’s possible, if
you pose smart queries.

Whether you’re meeting virtually or in person, it’s important for interviewers
to prepare thoroughly. You should ask questions that will help you gauge an
applicant’s interest in the job and company, enlighten you about their work
history and career plans, shed light on their values and work habits, and reveal
their strengths, weaknesses, knowledge and skills.

Of course, you’ll also want to ask questions that are specific to the role
you’re looking to fill. There are also other types of interview questions that
help you dig deeper, such as close-ended and open-ended interview questions.

But with these questions for an interview, you should be able to get a good
sense of whether this potential employee could be a successful member of your
team. So, let's jump in with 15 of the best questions to ask an interviewee, and
why.


1. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR COMPANY, AND WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK HERE?

You’d think with the easy access to information online today, most candidates
would do their homework, but that’s not always the case. Some applicants may not
even know what type of business the company engages in. Ask this interview
question and you’ll find out quickly who is sincerely interested in working for
you — and who isn’t.


2. WHAT SKILLS AND STRENGTHS CAN YOU BRING TO THIS POSITION?

Did the interviewee blindly apply to your opening or did they consider how they
match your needs? This question can help you find out. Applicants should be able
to think critically about how their abilities will benefit your unique team.


3. CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CURRENT JOB?

This is a great open-ended question to ask a potential employee that can help
you evaluate communication skills, while gaining insights into an individual's
background that goes beyond the resume.

Having trouble finding skilled job candidates? We can help:

GET HIRING HELP


4. WHAT COULD YOUR CURRENT COMPANY DO TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL?

This inquiry can give you a sense of whether interviewees see the big picture at
their organizations. It may also reveal why they really want to leave their
current jobs.


5. CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU HAD A DISAGREEMENT WITH A BOSS OR
COLLEAGUE AND HOW YOU HANDLED THE SITUATION?

This is one of the best questions to ask an interviewee because you’ll get a
sense of their conflict resolution abilities. What tone does the person use when
talking about the other people involved? Were they able to handle the situation
described appropriately? Did they find common ground? Emotional intelligence is
keenly needed in almost every job.


6. DO YOU WORK BEST ALONE OR ON A TEAM?

What kind of work will the candidate be performing if they’re selected for the
position? This question helps determine if they’re suited to the types of
assignments they’ll receive. Regardless if they'll work remotely or in the
office, someone who enjoys solitary work and long stretches of uninterrupted
time may not thrive in a position that requires collaboration or multitasking.


7. WHY ARE YOU LEAVING YOUR CURRENT JOB?

Does your job opportunity provide an alternative to the factors (lack of
professional development, management problems, etc.) that made them unhappy in
their current role? If so, showcase those benefits. But keep an eye out for
candidates with unrealistic expectations.


8. HOW WOULD YOUR COWORKERS DESCRIBE YOU?

This top question to ask an interviewee can help shed light on the candidate's
soft skills and how they might work with the other members of your team.
Understand the strengths of your current staff members and be on the lookout for
a candidate who will complement those.


9. HOW WOULD YOUR BOSS DESCRIBE YOU?

This may give you a sense of the candidate’s relationship with previous
managers. Reliable? Prompt? Efficient? Keep in mind, though, who you’re asking.
The answer will be simply their opinion of what the boss might have said. That’s
why it’s still critical to check references. Request a list of contacts and give
former employers a call to hear how their impressions align with the
candidate’s.


10. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS?

A job candidate who has professional drive and lofty career aspirations is
valuable. Look for someone who is engaged in their career and has clear goals,
and consider mentioning how your organization can help them achieve those
objectives. Finding a prospect who is interested in career advancement and sees
opportunity with your company increases the chances that they’ll be happy in the
long run.


11. HOW DO YOU MANAGE DEADLINE PRESSURE?

Technology projects often have very tight deadlines. So, it can be worthwhile
asking your potential hire how well they perform under pressure. Try to dig a
little deeper, too, by encouraging the candidate to offer an example of what
they have done in the past to ensure a project stayed on deadline when it looked
like it might miss the mark. Or, if the candidate could not meet a critical
deadline despite their best efforts, how did they handle it?


12. IN YOUR MOST RECENT ROLE, WAS THERE A TIME WHEN YOU HAD TO OVERCOME A
SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE?

Use this question to get a sense of an interviewee’s critical thinking and
analytical skills. You should also pay attention to how the candidate describes
their behavior when faced with a challenge. Did they struggle or did they come
up with an action plan and see it through?


13. WHAT’S THE MOST INTERESTING PROJECT YOU’VE WORKED ON IN A PAST POSITION?

Ask this interview question to determine if the applicant would likely enjoy the
work available at your company. Do the types of tasks they find fulfilling align
with the job description for your position? Making sure employees find their
work professionally satisfying is one of the most important factors in
retention.


14. WHAT’S ONE FACT THAT’S NOT ON YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE?

Here’s another open-ended question to ask an interviewee that can help you
uncover some interesting insights. Similar to asking, “What do you think I need
to know that we haven’t discussed?” it could spark some conversation about a
hobby outside of their 9-to-5 life or even a compelling story that reveals more
of their strengths and motivations. This question can help you understand not
just what a job candidate has done, but why.


15. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

This question typically wraps up the interview. Most candidates who are
interested in the job will be prepared with a few relevant questions for a
hiring manager. However, if the discussion was long and detailed, the candidate
may have already asked their questions. In a case like this, it’s OK if a
candidate doesn’t have a list of questions at the end of the interview.


Tags
leadership
,
workplace communication
     

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