10 Questions to Ask a Candidate During an Interview
The best recruitment strategy includes setting up interview questions with the future of the candidates position in mind. By framing questions correctly, you can get a better understanding of whether or not the candidate is a good fit for the position and the company. You can also get a sense of their strengths, weaknesses, work style, and more.
You are interviewing for a new position and want to make sure you ask the right questions. Here are 10 questions to ask a candidate during an interview:
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Why are you interested in this position?
- What do you know about our company/products/services?
- How would you describe your work style/philosophy/approach to work?
- What have been some of your most challenging projects?
- What motivates you at work?
- How do you handle stress and adversity?
- What is your biggest accomplishment in your career thus far?
- How do you see yourself developing in this position over time?
- Are you comfortable with our company’s salary and benefits package?
1. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
The importance of knowing a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses cannot be overstated. By understanding a candidate’s weaknesses, you can determine if they are a good fit for the position and the company. By understanding a candidate’s strengths, you can determine how they can best contribute to the company.
2. Why are you interested in this position?
The reason a candidate is interested in a position can say a lot about them. If they are interested in the position for the wrong reasons, such as money or fame, then they may not be a good fit for the company. If they are interested in the position because they feel they can make a difference and contribute to the company, the candidate would be a great fit for the company, by attributing skills and knowledge to help the company reach its goals.
3. What do you know about our company/products/services?
When interviewing a candidate, it is important to see if they are familiar with your company and its products or services. A candidate must show genuine interest in your company by at least researching the company before they come for an interview. If a candidate is familiar with your company and its products or services, it says a lot about them and that they came prepared for the interview.
4. How would you describe your work style/philosophy/approach to work?
It is important to get a sense of their work style. By understanding how they approach their work, you can determine if they will be a good fit for the position and the company and what they would contribute to their team. Additionally, by understanding their work philosophy, you can get a sense of how they think about their work and what is important to them.
5. What have been some of your most challenging projects?
When interviewing a candidate, it is important to ask about their most challenging projects. By understanding what challenges they have faced in the past, you can get a sense of how they handle stress and adversity. Additionally, by understanding what projects were the most challenging for them, you can get a better sense of their strengths and weaknesses. A follow up question to ask on this question is what they have learned from the challenging project. This will assist you in understanding the candidate’s ability to learn and grow through difficult situations.
6. What motivates you at work?
What motivates a person at work can be very important to know. By understanding what motivates a candidate, you can get a sense of what drives them and what is important to them. Additionally, by understanding what motivates them, you can see if they are a good fit for the position and the company as well the manager’s management style.
7. How do you handle stress and adversity?
How a person handles stress and adversity can be a major indicator of how well they will perform in a position. By understanding how a candidate handles stress and adversity, you can get a sense of how they handle difficult situations.
8. What is your biggest accomplishment in your career thus far?
Candidates can answer the question of what their biggest accomplishment in their career has been so far or even a milestone that they are proud of. This question is important to ask from a company’s perspective to see what skills and work ethic the candidate has. Also to determine will the candidate be a good fit for the company in terms of company culture and values.
9. How do you see yourself developing in this position over time?
Many employers want to know how a candidate sees themselves developing in a position over time. This is important because it can give the employer an idea of how the candidate plans to grow and what they hope to achieve in the position. Additionally, it can show the employer if the candidate is invested in their career and is looking to grow and develop over time.
10. Are you comfortable with our company’s salary and benefits package?
Salary and benefits are important factors for many job seekers. By asking if a candidate is comfortable with the company’s salary and benefits package, you can get a sense of how they feel about the offer. Additionally, you can get a sense of how willing they are to accept the position.
In closing
The questions we’ve outlined are a great starting point for your next interview, but don’t be afraid to get creative and tailor them to the specific position you’re interviewing for. Just keep in mind to have a standardized questionnaire for all the applicants. And if you’re feeling lost about what to ask, don’t forget that our team is here to help. Contact us today for more information on how we can assist in finding the perfect candidate for your open position.
