9 Must-Ask Questions for Your Next Job Applicant

How do you select the best employee for your organization? You have to know the right interview questions to ask and what to look for in your interviewees’ responses. Incorporate these into your next interview:

1. Why do you want to work for this organization? You will discover how much research they’ve done and whether or not their expectations are realistic. If they offer only vague reasons for wanting to join your team, you will know that they didn’t look beyond the job posting for more information. If their reasons aren’t a good match for your workplace, you’ll be able to avoid a hiring mistake.
2. What do you value most in [a boss/a colleague/someone who reports to you]? That question will help you estimate how well applicants will fit into your team’s culture. Look for answers that align with the traits that are most valued at your organization.
3. Describe one of your most successful projects. Gain a snapshot of applicants’ values. Listen for whether they use the pronoun “we” or if they take all of the credit with “I” statements. That will help you see whether or not they value collaboration and teamwork.
4. What have you done to make your job easier or more interesting? With that question you’ll determine if applicants’ value efficiency and whether or not they’re motivated to improve their job satisfaction.
5. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your boss in an effort to prevent a mistake. Answers to that question will tell you whether applicants are able to confront others effectively.
6. What caused you the most stress in your previous position, and how did you handle it? Ask that question to gain insight into how applicants deal with change, tension and anxiety. It is especially useful when hiring for high-pressure jobs.
7. What did you do when your colleagues resisted or rejected your ideas or opinions? Applicants’ answers to that question will allow you to gauge their assertiveness.
8. How does this position fit in with your career goals? That question will help you learn what candidates are looking for and whether or not they’ll stay long enough for you to recoup your investment in training them.
9. If you had six months to do whatever you want, with no financial worries or other obligations, what would you do? Yes, that question is random, but such curveballs can be useful. They test applicants’ ability to think quickly and creatively. And since there’s no correct answer that they could have prepared for, you’ll get an honest look at how they will respond to challenges.

Skip any hypothetical questions that lead candidates to answer in a certain way. Replace questions such as “What would you do if you had to exceed a budget to complete a project?” with “What did you do when you had to go over budget to complete a project?” The former tempts interviewees to say what they think you want to hear, whereas the latter encourages them to share how they truly behave.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed in your new leadership role? Register for this free webinar on March 28, when Bud to Boss trainers Kevin Eikenberry and Guy Harris will answer your most pressing questions.