Spot Potential Employees with These Interview Questions

Interviewing can be a daunting process for many hiring managers.  It can be difficult to determine the best ways to gauge a candidate’s fitness for the job they have applied for.  But by choosing the right balance of interview questions, and using that set of questions for every potential employee you interview, you are sure to get a good idea of whether a candidate is a good fit for your organization.  Here are some good topics and questions to ask potential employees in an interview:

1)  Employment History

One of the most important areas to cover when you are asking interview questions is the candidate’s past work experience. You want to see what types of jobs they have held, and how their past experience has allowed them to build skills that can help them in the role they are currently interviewing for.  You also want to see if they are a reliable employee who is likely to remain in a position for a long period of time.  Below are some good questions to ask potential employees about their work history:

·         What duties did you perform regularly in your past positions?

·         What is your greatest achievement at a job?

·         Why are you leaving your current employer?

·         How would your current (or past) boss describe your work, and how you have contributed to your past position?

2)  Ambition

Some good interview questions to ask potential employees revolve around their level of ambition, career goals and work ethic.  You want to find a candidate that is not only looking to show up to work, but contribute as much as possible to the company, as well as develop themselves as a professional.  Below are some good interview questions to ask potential employees that will give insight into their ambition and career goals:

·         Where do you see yourself in five years?

·         What excites you most about this job opportunity?

·         What are the things that make you love coming to work every day?

·         What strengths and weaknesses are you looking to improve the most?

·         What are you most passionate about, both in life and in your career?

3)  Knowledge about your company

In any productive job interview, you want to make sure your candidate did their homework and researched the company, as well as the particular position they are applying for.  This will show that they are not only looking for a job, they are passionate about working for your company in particular.  Below are some good interview questions to ask potential employees that will show you their level of knowledge about your company:

·         Why do you want to work here?  Why do you want this particular position?

·         How would you best describe what we do here?

·         When you were looking for jobs to apply to, what was it about our company in particular that made us stand out to you?

·         How do feel your career goals align with our company’s mission?

4)  Relations with Co-workers

When interviewing potential employees, it is important to get an idea of how the candidate will fit into your company culture, and if they will work well with your staff.  Try to include questions that cover the candidate’s work habits, and past experiences working with others.  Below are some good examples of interview questions to ask potential employees about relations with co-workers:

·         How would previous co-workers describe you?

·         Are you able to respond in a positive manner to constructive criticism from those you work with?

·         When working, do you perform better as part of a team, or by yourself?