When interviewing candidates, it's important to use this brief window to get to know them and determine if they are the right fit for the role. The right questions can provide valuable insights into how a candidate's skills, experiences, and personality can translate to the job at hand.
There are several key types of interview questions to consider:
- Behavioral Questions: These questions are designed to understand how the candidate has handled past situations, giving you clues about how they might perform in the future. Behavioral questions typically start with prompts like "Tell me about a time when..." or "Describe a situation where..." The candidate's response can reveal their problem-solving abilities, communication skills, teamwork, and more.
- Situational Questions: These types of questions target specific workplace issues, challenges, or hypothetical scenarios. They test the candidate's problem-solving and analytical skills by asking "What would you do if..." or "How would you handle a situation where..." Situational questions allow you to assess the candidate's critical thinking and decision-making abilities.
- Motivation-based Questions: These questions are aimed at uncovering the candidate's drive, enthusiasm, and alignment with the organization's values and culture. Motivation-based questions can reveal why the candidate is interested in the role and what aspects of the job or company excite them.
- Skills-based Questions: These questions are used to directly determine if the candidate's skillset matches what the organization is looking for. This can include both technical skills relevant to the role as well as important soft skills like communication, adaptability, and attention to detail.
It's important to avoid asking questions about a candidate's marital status, sexual orientation, religion, or disability, as these topics are irrelevant to their ability to perform the job and could open the door to discrimination.
When evaluating candidate responses, look for clarity, evidence, and relevance. The STAR approach (Situation, Task, Action, Result) can help candidates structure their responses effectively, walking you through the context, their specific role, the actions they took, and the outcome.
Finally, encourage candidates to ask thoughtful questions of their own. This can demonstrate their knowledge of the organization and the role, as well as their genuine interest in the opportunity.