7 of the Best Interview Questions for Employers to Ask

For hiring managers, there is a lot riding on how you screen candidates.  If you don’t accurately evaluate their skills, experience and whether they would be a good fit for your company, you are looking at a significant financial loss.  According to employee benefits company Peoplekeep.com, for high-turnover, low-paying jobs, companies lose 16% of the employee’s annual salary to replace them.  For midrange positions, companies lose 20% of the employee’s annual salary.  And on top of it your company endures a whole lot of unnecessary aggravation.  Are you asking the right questions when you interview candidates, and do you know what to look for when they answer?  Here are seven of the best interview questions for employers to ask:

1)  Tell me about a time when you overcame a challenge.

Since soft skills are so important these days, it’s important to know how a candidate deals with difficult circumstances.  Do they remain calm and resilient?  Do they learn from challenges and move on?  Do they have good problem-solving skills?  Or do they get flustered, give up and withdraw from their teammates?

2)  What convinced you to apply for this position?

This is one of the best interview questions for employers to ask because no matter how skilled and experienced your candidate is, if they don’t have passion and interest for the position and your company it will negatively affect their performance.  Also, you will know what truly motivates them, which will be important when you train them and work with them.

3)  Why are you leaving, or why did you leave your last job?

In the answer to this question, it’s important to see if the candidate is looking to expand their skillset and advance their career.  Or a bad sign is if they respond by talking negatively about their current or previous boss and co-workers.  If they didn’t get along with others at their old job, chances are things won’t be better at another job.  You want a candidate that is positive and doesn’t play the victim.

4)  What do you consider your most meaningful career accomplishment?

This is one of the best interview questions for employers to ask because it shows that your candidate has something to be proud of and that they are aware of their strengths.  At the same time, they should be humble and capable of giving recognition to others that have taught them what they know and helped them along the way.

5)  Give me a sales pitch for this [company product].

Whether or not your candidate is interviewing for a sales position, they should have done research and know about your products and services.  Also, you want a candidate that puts effort into thinking of how to deliver their pitch.

6)  If you were hired, how could you help with [name a company project]?

This is a great question for assessing the candidate’s critical thinking skills.  Look for an authentic response.  Also look for hints at how well they would work in a team, ask for help when necessary, and gather the necessary resources they need.

7)  What management style do you prefer?

This is one of the best interview questions for employers to ask because it gives you insight into how much responsibility a candidate can handle and their work style.  That way you can better assess if they are a good fit for your company.