10 Interview Questions You Must Ask

by Laurel Barton

Published on this site: April 11th, 2005 - See more articles from this month...

The candidate is in the lobby and you haven't had 5 minutes to spend preparing for the interview. What questions to ask in an interview plagues most employers and hiring managers. While there are dozens if not hundreds of possible questions, hiring managers can maximize the effectiveness of their interviews simply by asking some key questions.

These 10 questions will get the applicant talking so you can gauge verbal skills, assess behavior in certain situations, and weigh motivations that will assist in determining "fit." You will also want to develop other more technical questions geared to specific skills in sales, accounting, technology, leadership, or administration, depending on the position.

1. When was the last time you invested in your own education, and in what form? Why this question? People who have a desire to learn and a willingness to invest their own time and money will continue to learn when they work for you. Natural curiosity has a strong correlation to problem-solving. A good answer might cite college classes, self-study, learning new software, and even appropriate and challenging professional books.
   
   
2. How could you have improved your performance on your last job? Why this question? Usually we know of something we should have done better, sooner or differently. You will gain insight into the candidate's self-objectivity. Look for an answer that demonstrates hindsight and a focus on results or people. This trumps the standard "what are your weaknesses."
   
   
3. What are three needs is your current position not meeting that your ideal next position will offer? Why this question? This is a terrific "fit" question. You will learn about motivation and realism. Do you offer what the candidate is seeking? If so, use this information to sell the candidate on your company and the opportunity. No match? You may still find the candidate attractive from a skills and personality perspective, but how long is he/she likely to stay? Fit is an important factor in retention.
   
   
4. Tell me a little bit about (insert your company's name). What do you know about us and what we do? Why this question? Find out how much research the candidate did. This is an alternate way of asking "Why do you want to work here?" The candidate should at a minimum know your basic history and products. Good research will usually appear in the form of the candidate matching their qualities to your company.
   
   
5. How did/do you get along with your supervisor? Why this question? If a candidate says they left a job because they couldn't get along with the boss, or the manager was a problem, you will be the next "problem boss" if you hire this person. Look for at least an objective, neutral response.
   
   
6. How do you know the people who work for you are doing a good
   job? Why this question? Gauges whether this supervisor tunes into what really goes on day-to-day. Can he or she articulate the methods they use to train, motivate and monitor? You will want to determine if these methods are consistent with your company values.
   
   
7. Tell me about your last 3 days at work. What happened from the moment you walked in the door until the end of the business day? Why this question? One good reason for this question is that you can gauge the candidate's verbal ability. Is he/she concise and clear, or rambling? You can also assess time and activity management skills. Is he/she well organized? Is there an "approach" to the day? Does it seem they use time well? This beats the standard "tell me about yourself" so often asked with little point.
   
   
8. Imagine we hire you for this position. What would you do in your first 30 days? Why this question? Ask this of anyone who will be managing people or a major function, or selling for you. Have they thought through the challenges or would they simply wait for you to tell them what to do? Look for an indication that there is a plan and the person is a self-starter.
   
   
9. Tell me about a time when…. What was the situation, what did you do, and what was the result? Why this question? This is the classic opening to a standard-format behavioral question. The content will vary depending on the job. The point is to get an idea of the candidate's behavior in real situations. For a salesperson you might ask about the sale they are proudest of and why. For a manager, ask about a time they had to discipline and employee. For an administrative assistant you could ask about a time they were pushed to the edge and lost their temper. You may find you come from you "place of pain" when you ask some behavioral questions: situations in which prior employees didn't perform the way you would like. You should have a few of these prepared that are particular to each specific position.
   
   
10. What questions do you have for me? Why this question? A well- prepared candidate will always have some thoughtful questions. Their research should have led to cultural and business questions that demonstrate they
    
    a) researched you,
    
    b) are thinking, and
    
    c) are curious.
    
    The candidate should be exploring why your company is a fit for their career.

All 10 questions plus your more technical or position-specific questions can make for a lengthy interview. Be sure you let the candidate know they will be with you for 90 minutes or so. If you have done a good job of phone screening, you will only be spending this amount of time with 2 or 3 finalists, and it is time well spent when you hire the right person!

Laurel Barton is an expert in the field of recruiting and hiring practices. For more information about the best practices for your business, or to contact Laurel, please go to www.oswegoconsulting.com