10 Interview Questions You Should Be AskingWhat is your biggest weakness? Are you a team player? Use 5 words to describe yourself. These interview questions have been used countless times. The script has been written and the actors, your candidates, have memorized their lines for the show. With this monotonous routine of question and answer sessions are you really gaining valuable insight into your potential employee? Below are 10 questions to freshen up your interview and get the information you are looking for in determining whether or not you have a qualified candidate.
1. What risks did you take in your last position?
Taking your business to the next level requires a team of “outside-the-box” thinkers. Doing things the way they have always been done can make progress slow. Finding out if a candidate is going to add innovative thinking to your staff is a great way to determine whether or not they are a good fit.
2. What is the most useful criticism you have ever received?
Rather than asking the age-old question of, “What is your greatest weakness,” twist the question around a bit so that you have access to another person’s critique of your candidate. Besides receiving insight on potential weaknesses, you can also determine the candidate’s positive or negative response to criticism.
3. Is your college GPA reflective of your potential?
For a young candidate you may not have the luxury of previous employment to help determine their skills. Reviewing their college activities and GPA can give helpful insight. By asking this question you can determine their perspective on whether or not they gave 100% to their academic career. If they didn’t, then you have an opportunity to find out why.
4. What sort of trends do you see affecting our company/industry in the future?
With this question, you will quickly be able to determine whether or not the candidate has knowledge of your company and industry trends.
5. What does a company owe its employees?
You have a set of expectations that come with a new candidate. However, it is also important to determine what expectations the potential employee has of you and your company. Having this knowledge will not only help you and a new employee start on the same page, but you will also be better equipped to recruit top employees if you are continuously gain valuable insight into what candidates are looking for in an employer.
6. How could you improve our business in 15 minutes?
It is easy for a candidate to memorize a mission statement and recite it during an interview. But you want to make sure the candidate has well-rounded knowledge of the company. Asking them for quick improvement ideas will ensure that they have done their research. It will also show you how they handle the awkward position of sharing constructive criticism.
7. What question didn’t I ask that I should have?
This simple question will share an enormous amount of information with you. You can easily determine a person’s confidence, fear, or expertise by their answer. After you ask the question, look for their behavior rather than their knowledge.
8. What would a coworker who likes you least say about you?
Are they defensive in answering or do they seem to be able to understand their coworker’s perspective? The candidate’s response can help you determine how they might respond to different personalities and differing opinions.
9. What would be your goals for your first week on the job?
The candidate should be able to share more insight then just “get training.” Does he/she include building relationships with coworkers? If it is a sales job, does the candidate already have a sales goal in mind? This question will help you determine how much the candidate has actually researched and considered working for your company.
10. If you were hired, what would be a reason you might not stay with our company?
Again, this question not only helps both of you start off on the same page, but it also gives insight on what employees are looking for. This knowledge can be useful in recruiting the top candidates in your industry.
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