Finding a qualified candidate is often a challenge when you're not asking the right interview questions. How an applicant responds to questions during a job interview can indicate not only her knowledge of the industry, but also determine personality traits that mesh well with your company culture. Identify traits and qualities of a candidate with the right interview questions to better assess the candidate's abilities.
Why Are You Searching for a New Job?
Ask potential employees why they are in the job market to assess their career goals. Interview questions that focus on job motivation can reveal a candidate's true intent for applying with your company. For example, applicants whose responses focus on career advancement or the need to make an impact on the job may indicate that a position with challenges is a good fit. Other applicants may reveal they are looking for a better work-life balance, which may fall right in line with your company culture.
What Do You Know About Our Company?
Find out if applicants are prepared for the job interview by assessing their interest in the company. A strong candidate has put in the time and effort to research your firm, and should be able to provide an overview of your products and services, accomplishments within the industry and involvement within the community.
Why Is This Position Important to Our Company?
Job candidates must rely on their knowledge of the position and the company to answer these types of interview questions with confidence. Find out just how much the applicant has networked with current employees or inquired about the duties of the position.
How Do You Remain Current in the Industry?
Ask this question to identify how committed an applicant is to professional development. As a hiring manager, your goal is to find motivated and qualified individuals to hire for your open positions. Applicants who answer these types of interview questions with concrete examples of workshops attended, courses taken at higher education institutions and self-motivated research are often eager and motivated to learn.
How Did You Handle Obstacles in Previous Positions?
Evaluate how each candidate handles challenges by asking about obstacles within previous positions. An applicant who indicates she has not faced any obstacles may not be giving you the whole story. All employees face challenges. A response that focuses on what the applicant learned from the challenge or misstep shows you the candidate is willing to learn from her mistakes.
Focus your interview questions on aspects of the candidate's experience and personality to gain a broader picture of how this individual fits into your company's operations and culture. Questions that solely focus on skills and abilities may not provide you with enough information to make an informed hiring decision.
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