While these general questions can be a good jumping off point, we find the best interview questions are specifically tailored for the position you are hiring.
If you would like assistance crafting questions to help assess a candidate’s fit for a specific role, give us a call!
The 10 best interview questions to uncover a candidate’s fit for your open role:
- “In this role, we’re looking for someone who can do XXX (ie. increase revenue/improve morale/create better systems and processes). Can you tell me your most related experience tackling this type of work?”
- Listen for an understanding of the role you’re hiring for; clarify expectations.
- Ask follow-up questions to understand context, challenges, and wins/losses of their related experience.
- “Thinking about your most recent position, what would you say your legacy is/was at that company?”
- Listen for size and scope of how they have defined ‘legacy’. Would you consider that legacy worthy?
- Does their example underscore growth and challenge, making things better than they found it?
- Top performers always leave situations better than they found them. Always!
- “Tell me about a time where you had to overcome a significant challenge or obstacle at work; what was the result?”
- Listen for true challenge and their ability to persevere.
- Listen for a growth mind-set or negativity and victim mentality.
- Would their experience (and result) be similar to what they would encounter at your organization?
- Listen for risk-taking and match that up to your company’s culture.
- “Based upon what you’ve learned so far about our company and this role, what’s the first thing you’d want to work on?”
- Listen for communication skills.
- Observe their ability to tackle projects with little instruction; do you observe ease or resistance to this question?
- Listen for a proclivity to action and/or contemplation.
- “Tell me about the last time you had to learn a lot of new information in a short amount of time?”
- Listen for learning style – time to process versus action orientation.
- Evaluate communication style – direct and to the point or long form storytelling.
- Listen for size and scope of example; probe for resilience and resourcefulness.
- Listen for independent decision-making.
- Evaluate if your own on-boarding and/or expectation for learning is in alignment with their style and preferences.
- “What is something that is not on your resume that others would be surprised to learn about you?”
- This is a good conversation starter; you will undoubtedly learn something about your candidate. Don’t waste the chance to go a bit deeper. Share something about yourself as well, to start building a relationship.
- Some candidates might be more guarded. Give them a chance to think and process. Don’t judge too quickly, especially if you have a different style.
- “Through your career, is there any role that you wish you could go back to or that you felt was the best fit?”
- Listen for relevance and alignment with your open role and your organization – Is this a fit?
- Is the role they highlighted within the last 2 years or over a decade ago? Are they holding on to a past that won’t be coming back?
- “Tell me about a time you had a difficult working relationship with a colleague – what was the specific situation and what was the result?”
- Listen for emotional intelligence.
- Listen for ownership and empathy.
- Observe anger or defensiveness.
- Do they take accountability for their part to resolve or go directly to leadership for resolution?
- “What interests and excites you most about this position?”
- Listen for engagement; this speaks to their purposefulness. Ideally, they’ll say that they’re passionate about the company’s mission. Maybe they are excited to hone a new skill or work at a different type of company. When they answer, make sure their sense of purpose aligns with your organization.
- “What questions do you have for me?”
- If they say ‘you’ve answered all my questions’, the red flags should be waving. You want someone so engaged in this role that they continue to demonstrate curiosity and dig deeper.
- Is this just another job for them or a true career move?
- Their questions should be focused on learning more about how they will be measured: what success looks like, your culture, your expectations.
- If they launch into pay, benefits, and PTO before it’s time, be forewarned.