Job interviews are essential to find the best person to join your team. But how do you know what to ask potential employees to learn about their qualifications, skills, personality traits, and career goals? Whether the interview is in person or virtual, the experience can be just as unnerving for the interviewer as it is for the interviewee. Can specific questions give you a more accurate picture during the hiring process?
In this article, we discuss the best interview questions and our top recruiter tips to make the recruiting process go more smoothly for hiring managers and small business owners.
Best Interview Questions for Candidate Assessment
Your interview questions should be “open-ended” and inviting, so candidates are encouraged to be expansive about their background, qualifications, and unique qualities that help them stand out from other job seekers. The more honest and forthcoming, the deeper your understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.
What are interview questions you could ask your candidates? The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) recommends questions that elicit more detailed responses during job interviews. They range from qualifications and career goals to successes at their prior job and what they believe they can contribute to your organization.
- Why are you applying to our company for this position?
- Discuss your work experience and describe how you believe it relates to the job opening and our organization.
- What qualifications make you the best person for this role? (certifications, training, and related work experience).
- What recent accomplishment are you most proud of?
- Describe your short-term and long-term career goals.
- What skills do you bring to this role?
- Discuss your main contribution(s) at your last job and greatest challenge.
- What do you know about our organization? What would you like to know?
- What else should we know about you to help us make our hiring decision?
- Do you have any questions about our company or the position?
You can also ask about their willingness to travel as part of their job duties and where they would like to see themselves in a year from now, should they be hired.
Qualifications and Personal Fitness
What types of questions can recruiters ask to understand a candidate’s qualifications and fit for the role? Interview questions fall into six primary categories: technical, behavioral, motivational, skills-based, cultural, and situational. Following are examples of each:
- Technical – “Explain how you solved a complicated technical problem and what your approach was.”
- Behavioral – “Discuss a specific instance at work when you had to overcome a difficult challenge.”
- Motivational – “What is it about this position that most interests you?”
- Skills-based – “Talk about a specific instance when you had to learn something new quickly to meet a work requirement.”
- Cultural – “What company culture do you most thrive in?”
- Situational – “Imagine if you had a tight deadline and an unexpected problem arose. What would you do?”
These types of questions will give you insight into how a person works and what their strengths are.
How to Determine Creativity in Job Interviews
What is a creative question to ask an interviewee? This type of question assesses their innovation and creativity. If you’re hiring for a leadership position, you may ask about their survival strategy if they were stranded on a deserted island with their work team. The question should align with the role. Look for creativity and critical thinking in their responses, and be ready for the unexpected! Use follow-up questions to learn more about the candidate’s thought process.
Top Recruiter Tips
Effective interview techniques for assessing candidates include keeping a conversational flow, engaging in active listening, and taking notes during your interview. Intersperse basic questions about background and skills with unexpected questions, such as asking what they’re passionate about. It also helps to observe body language while candidates are answering questions.
Supercharge Your Hiring Process
At CulverCareers, we help our clients build elite teams. From conducting a targeted search that includes passive candidates to guiding you through the interview process and consulting about employee retention, we’re a one-stop shop for your recruitment needs.
Looking to streamline your hiring process and find the best talent for your team? Get in touch with CulverCareers today and take your hiring process to the next level.
