Tag Archive for: #interview

What Questions should you ask in your interview?…

Interview Questions

So, you have made it to interview stage, congratulations!

Now you face the minefield of negating the ‘right questions’ to ask when you are there.

The opportunity for you to ask questions in the interview is your chance to get a sense of what it might be like to work for this company. We strongly suggest you ask a couple of questions as it shows you are interested in the company and the position. Generally speaking a fair number of questions is somewhere between 3 -5. Use your discretion; be mindful of the time and the interviewers body language. Now is not the time to ask 50 questions.

To help you along we have jotted a couple of our favourites down.

  • Can you tell me a little bit more about the work culture?
  • What do you enjoy most about working here?
  • What does success look like in this position, and how do you measure it?
  • What would a typical day look like for this role being offered?
  • What attributes does someone need to have in order to be successful in this position?
  • What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position would face?
  • Can you tell me about the team and manager I’ll be working with?
  • Can you tell me about my direct reports? What are their strengths and the team’s biggest challenges?
  • If I am successful, how will I be trained? And what training programs are available to employees?
  • What are the most important things you’d like to see someone accomplish in the first 30, 60, and 90 days on the job?
  • What are the performance expectations of this role over the first 12 months?
  • Why is the position vacant?
  • What are the company’s key priorities over the next five years?
  • Where is the last person who held this job moving on to?
  • Where do you see this company in the next few years?
  • What sort of budget would I be working with?
  • Do you expect to hire more people in this department in the next six months?
  • What are the common career paths in this department?
  • What are the next steps in the interview process?

These questions are just a guide and depending on the role you are going for may not be appropriate but hopefully they will give you something to work with. Don’t forget the interview is a two-way process, the role also needs to be a good fit for you, so use this is an opportunity to suss the company and position out.

Good Luck!

Do you have a favourite question you like to ask during an Interview, We would love to hear it?

10 Great Questions to Ask Candidates at Interview

Interview Photo

You’ve screened the resumes and come up with a shortlist of applicants who can all do the job…on paper at least. So, how do you decide which candidate is ‘the one’? Interviews can provide employers with valuable information about an individual’s skills, motivation, achievements and cultural fit. Especially if you ask the right questions and allow candidates to do most of the talking.

Here are ten of our favourite questions to ask candidates at interview:

  1. Why are you interested in this role?

You want to separate out those candidates who have done their homework from the rest. You will find out which aspects of the position have appealed to them. Are these the same aspects that you believe are key to the role and to your company moving forward?

  1. What are the three most important attributes you bring to this role?

Flowing on neatly from #1, you will obtain further insights into candidates’ understanding of the role, and the contribution they could make. You can then assess whether what they offer fits with what you are looking for.

  1. Why are you leaving your current employer?

Candidates’ answers can reveal much about their attitudes, motivation and values at work. Your job is to establish whether their current experience has been a positive one and whether they are leaving for a good reason. If you have doubts, then probe carefully to find out more.

  1. What motivates you most in your current role?

You want to understand what makes candidates tick. They may be enthusiastic about new challenges, for example, or working in a strong team. Will these candidates find similar motivation in the role you are offering and, more broadly, in the culture of your company?

  1. What do you dislike the most about your current role?

Candidates generally find at least one aspect of their current role less enjoyable. It may be a mundane task, such as stuffing envelopes or totting up the petty cash. But it may be something more revealing – such as a candidate for a supervisor role who does not like dealing with conflict.

  1. Tell me about your greatest achievement in your career to date.

Strong candidates are passionate about their accomplishments and will relish the opportunity to talk about them. What they consider to be a great achievement will provide you with insights into their personality, values and working style.

  1. Describe a time when things didn’t go the way you wanted. What did you do?

An alternative to “What’s your greatest weakness?” which most candidates have anticipated and prepared for. Here, you are asking candidates for a concrete example of a difficult situation. Their responses will provide information about their problem-solving skills, ability to own an issue and, potentially, their interaction with others.

  1. How would your colleagues describe you at work?

Some candidates find it difficult to talk about their attributes and achievements, especially at interview. So instead, give them a chance to view themselves through the eyes of their co-workers. You will gain valuable insights into their personality, work ethic, and relationships with others in a team.

  1. Describe the best boss you have reported to.

Bosses vary in the way they supervise, organise, delegate and communicate. And candidates will vary in the way they respond to them. So find out the type of management style that best suits your candidates’ needs and personality. A candidate who is a self-starter, for example, would not be a good match for a micro-manager.

  1. Do you have any questions for me?

Well-prepared candidates will have done their homework, researched the role and company, and drafted a few questions. What candidates ask can provide information about what they consider important. Are they just after basic information, like salary, perks and vacation days? Or are they focused on company vision and opportunities for career progression?

Try incorporating some – or all – of these questions in your candidate interviews. They should help you separate the mismatches and maybes from the high potential candidate(s) who will thrive in your role.