Interview questions – what can you ask to make sure you are making the right decision when it comes to hiring for your team? Love them or hate them, interviews will always be an essential part of the hiring process. Lots of interviews have moved online now and for many, this is still a new way of interviewing to adapt to.
Whilst we are seasoned interviewers, we know that many hiring managers are not. So here are our tips on the best questions to ask. Questions that will help you to make the best hiring decisions. There’s lots to cover, so this month we are focusing on the basics.
The Basic Interview Questions to Ask
What do you know about us?
This is a great question to start with and can really tell you a lot about a candidate. You want to hire someone who is excited about your company and the job itself. But not only that, you also want someone who has taken the time to look at your company, you culture, your values and more. If a candidate has prepared well then this should give you the confidence that they have a certain level of attention to detail and are not simply ‘winging it’.
What interests you most about the job?
Most of us need a job to earn money, but you need to be sure that this isn’t the only reason the candidate has expressed an interest in your vacancy. You need candidates who share your values and genuinely has passion for your opportunity. Happy employees are likely to stay with you longer term so identify this early on in the process.
What are your key strengths?
This is an interview question that not only helps you confirm a candidates key strengths. This question will also give you an idea of their confidence levels when it comes to their key strengths. How do they display these strengths? Will their personality fit with your current team? You want candidates who are confident in their abilities and are happy to work with the team dynamic to get the best results.
Why do you think we should hire you above the other candidates? A tough interview question!
Don’t be afraid to ask some of the more direct questions when it comes to an interview. Although, you may want to save this one to the end! What you are looking for here is evidence, or confidence that the candidate will add value. To your team and your company. Can they identify why they are the best person for the job? This question is great when it comes to choosing between two great candidates.
Do you have any questions?
A great question to end the interview with. Make sure that you give all candidates the opportunity to ask questions at the end. This question will actually give you a lot of insight. For example, if they ask questions relating to the interview, it will show you that they have listened to what you have said. Or maybe their questions will show more detail with regards to their research. However, there are some warning signs – no questions should be a red flag. And if the questions are purely based around holidays and benefits then you may want to uncover why this is important to the candidate in the early stages.
There is an easier way when it comes to interview questions
We can make the interview process a lot easier for you! Let us ask the basic questions prior to sending CVs to you. Then you know that you are only interviewing candidates who have not only met the requirements of the job but who really are the best candidates for you. We can even arrange for candidates to record themselves answering these basic questions, or your own. We can send you recordings to view in your own time and you can also share them with colleagues. Ask one of our team about our video interview technology.
It looks as if 2023 is going to be another interesting year for recruiting. Therefore, if you need help attracting people to your company, we can help! We’ve been helping companies recruit the very best candidates for over 20 years and we’d love the opportunity to do the same for you. Get in touch with our expert consultants today.
