If you’re on your company’s hiring team, you know the process can be redundant. You ask the same questions, hoping to get the answers that make your decision clear. Perhaps though, more often than not, you find you aren’t hearing exactly what you need.
Instead of settling for these responses, it might be time to update your question list. Here are some to-the-point questions for candidates designed to gain the exact information you want.
“What do you know about our company? Why are you interested in a position with us?”
A great way to start an interview is finding out what the candidate knows about your organization and why they’re interested. The Internet makes it easy to learn, so if a candidate can’t answer these simple questions, they likely aren’t that interested or serious. Don’t discount the rest of their interview, but keep this response in mind.
“Why are you looking for a new position?”
Not only can this shed light on the kind of employee they are or their expectations at work, but you can also begin to see a broader picture of what they want. This insight into their career goals can help you see if they align with what you have to offer.
“What is an area of improvement for your current company?”
This is a question you can compare against what you’re currently doing, but also get additional information about why they’re leaving. Pay attention to how they describe the company to see if they slide into negativity.
“What do you bring to this position?”
Asking this allows you to see how much they’ve thought about the opportunity and what they can do as well as their specific abilities and ideas for you. You’ll get an idea about how they envision themselves fitting in and the unique offering they bring. It can also show if someone isn’t prepared and delivers a generic answer.
“What are some ways your coworkers/boss would describe you?”
By asking how others describe them, you get an idea of both their soft skills and general awareness of their abilities. When asking this, it’s crucial to follow up with references to see if the answers align.
“How have you handled situations in the past where you had a disagreement at work?”
Conflict resolution is key, so you want to make sure a candidate is able to navigate these situations. Beyond just the story, you can pick up on tone indicators to learn their true feelings behind what happened and if they’re overall the kind of person you want to hire.
Improve applicant quality with Sterling Personnel
We know the work that goes into finding the right candidates for your workplace. Our established presence and variety of methods to attract applicants, on top of our large pool of job seekers, helps us supply you with the talent you need faster. Learn more about our services today!
