Finding the right candidate isn’t easy; sometimes, it requires multiple interviews. So how do you make the most of the interview process to secure the right person for the role? Here are a few questions that will help you delve into a candidate’s capabilities.
Do You Work Best Alone or on a Team?
This question can immediately set the tone for an interview, as it can give you insight into whether an individual is a fit for your team’s dynamic. For most jobs, both work settings are important, so the right candidate should work well in both capacities. However, if the role is highly individualized or involved with a team, the answer can help you understand if a person’s work structure aligns with your needs.
What Is Your Ideal Position and Why?
This question allows you to determine whether a candidate will be in their role for the long haul. In other words, it lets you compare their personal career goals to the plans you have for the role for which you are hiring. If a candidate describes their ideal position that looks nothing like the one you’re offering, they might not be a good fit.
How Do You Deal With a Difficult Co-Worker?
Interpersonal skills are so important in a workplace, and this question helps you dive into a candidate’s personality. This question forces them to consider a challenging situation and how they would react to it. While you won’t really know how a person would respond to such an incident until it happens, their answer does allow you to see how they handle conflict.
What Were Some Positive and Negative Aspects of Your Last Role?
Typically, an individual is leaving (or has already left) their previous position for a reason. You don’t necessarily need to ask why, but you can have them talk about their previous role in terms of positives and negatives. Their answer will help you compare and contrast. Did they cite a negative aspect from a previous job that may also drive them away from your company? It’s another way to determine if they’re likely to stay or abandon ship after a short period.
What Is Your Proudest Achievement?
Lastly, you can ask a candidate the achievement that they are most proud of, which essentially allows them to brag about themselves. What they are proud of tells you a lot. If a candidate is proudest about something that has nothing to do with the role in question, their interests may lie elsewhere.
Sometimes, a candidate who looks great on paper isn’t the right fit for a role (and vice versa). These questions should help with the interviewing process and finding the ideal candidate to suit your hiring needs.