Are you asking the right interview questions?

If you’re a recruiter, you likely have a list of your favorite interview questions. But do the questions you’re asking really help you learn more about a candidate and their potential fit to the role you’re recruiting for?

Gone are the days of asking candidates why manhole covers are round or how many ping-pong balls fit into a 747. These brain teasers are a complete waste of time and can make an interviewer look like a jerk.

Most often, candidates will have rehearsed answers to prototypical questions such as “tell me about yourself” or “what’s your greatest weakness?” before the interview.

Some goals for an insightful interview question are: get candidates out of their comfort zone, make them think on their feet, put them in real-world situations, or reveal something about them and their ability to perform the role you’re recruiting for. Here are a few ideas:

  • What book are you presently reading and what is a key takeaway message so far?
  • What is a cliché in the XYZ industry that you dislike?
  • We have an issue with XYZ situation. How would you think about approaching a resolution to this?
  • At times you may be asked to do many things at once. Tell me how you would decide what is most important and why.

What are your favorite interview questions? Let us know in the comments below.

If you’d like some help with this and to understand how you can overcome some of these issues, please contact us.

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