3 Great Questions to Ask Candidates in Interviews

by Ruaidhri Horan, Marketing Manager, Abrivia Recruitment

Your job as hiring manager is to identify the best talent for the organisation by asking the “right questions” in an interview situation.

What are these “right questions” an what will they achieve?

The “right questions” will probe a lot deeper than anything that can be ascertained from a CV or application form. They should provide you with a lot more information about the candidates work history and achievements, give a good insight into a candidates personality and how they behave under pressure. Ultimately a “right question” will facilitate an interviewer in assessing an applicant’s suitability for the job and give a good indication into how they will potentially fit into the culture of your organisation.

Below are what I consider 3 highly impactful interview questions:

1. Why do you want to work in this industry?
Beware of candidates who simply say that they love the industry without giving a relevant background history combined with some success stories in regards to their achievements to date. Beware of candidates who have obviously not researched the industry and give general vague answers that could be applied to any industry.

2. Tell me about yourself?
This is a fantastic opportunity for candidates to sell themselves. Look for candidates who focus on what they bring to the table in regards the position on offer. Be wary of those who give a chronological work history without focussing on their strengths and how they pertain to the role.

3. What do you think of your previous boss?
Some candidates will use an interview to slate their previous boss and in essence badmouth them to a complete stranger. Do you want to hire someone who could potentially badmouth you in the future?
Focus on candidates who exemplify the positives about their previous boss regardless if it was an extremely tough position where unrealistic expectations were set. You ultimately want to hire someone with a positive attitude, not someone who could potentially demotivate your team by badmouthing you in the future.

There are many great interview questions but above are my 3 personal favourites which help get behind facades and potentially reveal the true personality and achievements of someone who seeks to join your organisation.

In a future article we will look at what I consider are the next 3 greatest questions to ask candidates in interviews.
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