Stop Asking Cliché Job Interview Questions! Ask These Instead.

An interview is your chance to get to know candidates beyond the information they list on their resumes and cover letters. The interview allows you to put a face and personality with a name. Since you only have a short time with each candidate, you’ll want to capture as much key information as possible. You can maximize the time you spend during each interview by focusing on six important questions.

The six best questions to ask during an interview

You can get to know a candidate better by asking these six key questions:

  1. Based on your understanding of this role, how could you help my company? With this question, you’ll be able to tell how much research a candidate has done beforehand. This can give you a better idea of how seriously the candidate is taking the position.
  2. Why are you the best person for the job? In other words, why should I hire you? This question allows a candidate explain to you in his or her own words the skills, experience and qualifications that make him or her the right pick for your job opportunity.
  3. How do you know you’re smart? This question will force candidates to think on their feet just a little bit, and for this reason you’re likely to get an honest—not rehearsed—answer. By asking this question, you’ll get an introspective view of how a candidate views him- or herself. You’ll get a glimpse into the candidate’s confidence level, but also his or her creativity in answering the question.
  4. What motivates you? To learn a little more about a candidate’s passions, it’s important to ask what they are. Follow-up questions could include, “What made you decide to enter this line of work?” You can also get a better idea of how well the candidate might fit with your corporate culture.
  5. What frustrates you? The answer to this question can give you an idea of the candidate’s leadership skills. Does he or she mention trivial concerns, or big picture issues, such as time, budget or priorities? The larger-scale the concern, the bigger this candidate is thinking.
  6. Where do you see yourself in a year? Five years? Longer? Of course, you’ll want to know if a candidate is in it for the long haul. You can also glean more from how the candidate answers this question than from what he or she actually says. Pay attention to body language: candidates that perk up speaking about the future have plenty of drive and ambition—that can take your company places.

Perfect your interview process

As with anything, the more you do it, the better you’ll become. And this goes for interviewing, as well. By asking the same interview questions to candidates, you’ll be able to compare “apples to apples,” making it much easier for you to make the best choice.

If you need help interviewing, consider a staffing partner

Recruiters are experts at the hiring process, from finding top talent, to interviewing, and even on-boarding your new staff. If you need staffing support, Contemporary Staffing Solutions can help. To learn more about our available staffing services, contact one of our experienced recruiters today!