Do interviews actually help recruiters find the most ideal job candidates? Well, only sometimes.
Typically, interviewers have just 10 to 15 minutes to see if a candidate is right for a certain role. But, being “right” for a job doesn’t just mean having the technical skills to perform well nowadays. A candidate’s emotional intelligence, conversational skill, open-mindedness, and ability to collaborate should be considered as well.
That’s why you need to ask questions that go beyond the surface. Not sure where to start? This post will cover 7 must-ask interview questions to find the perfect job candidates!
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Why do you want to work here?
The why behind anything is important, and work is no exception. This question offers you insight on which candidates actually put time into researching your company and which ones only showed up to the interview on a whim. Listen carefully to a candidate’s answer and draw parallels between their career aspirations and your company.
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Why are you leaving your current employer?
This question can reveal a lot about a candidate’s personality and general outlook on life. Do they focus on the negatives of their past job, or do they emphasize the positive sides and their hopes for the future? The question also shows how willing a candidate is to badmouth their past employers and their level of professionalism.
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Tell me something about yourself that isn’t on your resume
You can’t learn everything about a candidate based on a resume alone. The vagueness of this question allows candidates to decide if they want to share something work-related or entirely different. What they share can offer you information on the type of employee they are, how they can add to your company, and if they fit in with the rest of the team.
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What are your greatest weaknesses?
You can quickly spot technical and character red flags in one sweep with this question. If a candidate admits to weaknesses, you can assess whether they will conflict with required tasks.
On the other hand, if they don’t admit any weaknesses – it is a strong indicator that they lack self-awareness.
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What are your greatest strengths?
Just like the weakness question, this question helps a recruiter estimate a candidate’s level of self-awareness. Further, candidates will often connect their strengths to why they believe they are a good fit for your company and what they think they have to offer.
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In your most recent role, how were you able to overcome a difficult and unexpected challenge?
Deviation happens, and employees will have to adapt and think critically. Pay attention to how the client describes their behaviors, and the mental process in which they navigated the unexpected challenge.
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Tell me about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours
Behavior questions like this one will give you a more realistic depiction of the strengths and skills that a candidate claims to have. If a candidate fails to answer this or any other behavior question, it is a potential red flag that the candidate is not as qualified as they may originally seem.