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July 15, 2024
It doesn’t matter what you are hiring for, there are some basic interview questions that are always worthwhile asking. From covering the basics to getting a better understanding of the candidate’s motivations, these questions should appear in every single interview.
If you’re trying to up your interview game and want to know how to make sure you’re covering all of your bases, try adding these essential questions to your interviews.
This question reveals so much about a person, so it should feature in every interview. No one wants to waffle on for too long when answering this question, so it forces the candidate to think about what is really important to them and what they want to share.
This is their elevator pitch and it will let you know if they can sell themselves effectively. If they stumble on this question, it could show that they are unprepared for the interview, as most people will anticipate this question cropping up.
Motivation is a key part of understanding if a candidate is right for the role. If they are just looking for any job, then it will quickly become apparent when they answer this question. Asking this question can also help to reveal if this is just a stepping stone in their career or if they have a real motivation to apply for your company in particular.
Asking this question will help to get a better understanding of how well the candidate understands the job description. Good candidates will adapt their answer in line with the key competencies of the role.
If the strengths aren’t aligned with the job description, the candidate has either misunderstood what you are asking or they are simply not the right fit for the role.
This is a challenging question and it’s interesting to see how candidates will approach it. A popular approach is to attempt to turn a negative into a positive, but candidates don’t have to tie themselves in knots in this way. Weaknesses can be genuine weaknesses, provided they are self-aware and take steps to address this issue to ensure it doesn’t stand in the way of their development.
A popular follow up question would be to ask about the steps they are taking to address their weaknesses. If they cannot answer this question, you might assume that the candidate has simply invented a weakness that can be interpreted as a positive.
An example of this would be a candidate stating that they are a perfectionist and struggle to let go of projects until they are perfect. If this was a genuine weakness, they might be taking steps to address this by being strict with deadlines to ensure projects don’t drag on past their due date.
Another revealing question that will tell you a lot about a candidate is this: what does success look like to you? Asking this question can tell you everything you need to know about what motivates the candidate. Some people believe that success is money while others are looking for freedom. Pay close attention to what the candidate values and this will tell you how to motivate them to do their best work once they are working for you.
Asking a candidate how they handle stress doesn’t have to be an admission that the role is stressful. Stress can come in many forms and it can be a question of wellbeing to ask how the candidate deals with stress in their life. Good coping mechanisms and a proactive approach to self care are both excellent qualities that you should look for in a candidate.
It’s a good idea to cover the basics during your interview to help determine if the candidate is on the same page. If you have been secretive about the salary range until now, you might be surprised to learn the candidate’s salary expectations. If they ask for a salary way below your budget, this could be a sign they aren’t as qualified as you first thought. Whereas if they ask for a salary above your budget, it could be that they are too advanced for the role. Remember that many candidates will ask for a higher salary under the expectation that they will negotiate down to where they really want to be.
If you want to know if the candidate has self awareness and the emotional intelligence to succeed in a role, ask them what they think other people think of them. If they don’t get on with their current employer, they will have to find a tactful way to express this without bad mouthing their boss.
It’s important to make sure your interview style is a conversation and not an interrogation. At the end of the interview, give the candidate a chance to turn the tables and grill you on the role. If you expect candour and transparency from your candidates during the interview process, be prepared to offer the same thing in return. By turning the interview process into a two-way street, you will show the candidate that you are also trying to impress them. This can level the playing field and make the interview process more productive.
By starting with these essential job interview questions, you will learn a lot about the candidates expectations, motivations and understanding of the role. From there, you can flesh out the interview with more role specific questions that will enable you to drill down and get to know the candidate in more detail.
By structuring your interviews in this way, you can also make it easier to compare two candidates, as you will be comparing like-for-like if they have been given the same interview questions to answer.
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