10 Job Interview Questions to Ask Candidates

“What is your greatest weakness” or “Tell me about yourself” are common interview questions that are constantly asked but don’t necessarily uncover much about a candidate. As an employer, it is your job to attract candidates and also identify top talent among those applicants. When interviewing for your organization, it’s important you ask questions that not only reveal the type of employee they are (skills, experience, hard-worker, etc.), but also, to assess how they will fit in with the company culture, their conversation skills, and their ability to perform under pressure.

Asking questions that are specific to your organization or the position they are applying to will help you get a better sense of a candidate’s personality and skills. The next time you conduct an interview, ask these questions to ensure you hire A+ candidates.

1. “Why do you want to work here?” or “What about our company interests you?”

Asking this question will allow you to determine who has done their research about your company. An applicant who is genuinely interested in working at your company will have done their part in reviewing your website, job description, and online review websites. If they solely mention salary as their main interest in the job, you may want to question their motives.

2. “Why did you leave your last job?”

This question will help you learn what prompted the prospective candidate to leave and if they had any issues in their previous position. If they did, be wary if they speak negatively about their former employer or job. A professional candidate will be honest, accept responsibility, and explain how they learned from their mistakes.

3. “Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others?”

Depending on the responsibilities of the role, this question will determine the type of work environment (working alone or on a team) they feel they thrive in. Does their answer match the type of assignments they’d be completing and the work environment they’d be in?

4. “What are your career goals?” or “What are your future plans?”

Pay close attention to their answer to discover if their plans and your company’s goals are compatible. If they mention career growth and development within your organization, they most likely are looking for a stable, long-term career.

5. “Tell me something about yourself that isn’t on your resume.”

This question is fairly vague. It is up to the interviewee to decide to share their hobbies, interests, anything that isn’t career-related. Their answer will hopefully give you a better understanding of their personality and character.

6. “What are some of your greatest professional accomplishments so far?”

Having a candidate share what they are proud of will help you gain insight into what they find important and fulfilling. Depending on what they value as a career accomplishment, an award, a big project or maybe some sort of recognition, you can uncover what truly motivates them to be successful and what their strengths are.

7. “Can you tell me about a difficult work situation and how you overcame it?”

This behavioral question allows you to understand a candidate’s problem-solving skills. You’re looking to see if they not only share how they resolved the issue but, what they learned from the experience and how it can be applied to future problems.

8. “What prompted you to apply for this job? What interested you the most about this position?”

Similar to question one, this question tests to see if the candidate read the job description and fully understands the duties associated. You want to know what about the role stood out to them and if their needs, wants, and skills align. A candidate who is excited about their work will want to stay in their job long-term.

9. “How would your current boss describe your work and contribution?”

A candidate’s response will tell you how their relationship was with their current boss, in their opinion. How well did they handle criticism and feedback from management? It’s important to learn if they value their boss’s opinion of them.

10. “Do you have any questions for me?”

Always end the interview with this question.  A well-prepared candidate should have a few meaningful (answers that can’t be found online) follow-up questions to ask whether it’s about the job responsibilities, the company or anything relevant.

10 Job Interview Questions to Ask Candidates (1)-1To gain a better insight into a candidate’s skill set, background and character, ask these ten interview questions. These questions will help you decide if they are a good fit for your organization and the role.