The time to fill a vacancy in your company has come and the pressure is rising. You publish a quality tender where you describe the situation and provide all the relevant information. You carefully read all the received CVs and invite the suitable candidates for an interview. The time for an interview is now here. At this stage, candidates are usually trembling in fear, but you are probably not indifferent about the situation either. It is your responsibility to evaluate the candidates based on the questions and select the best person for the vacancy. Sounds simple, right? However, things are different in practice.
Here are 5 questions you should not omit in an interview to make sure the candidate is right for you.
1. What do you know about our company and why do you want to work with us?
Did you notice a small change compared to the classic question? “With us.” In interviews, we usually hear the question “Why do you want to work for us?”, which immediately puts the candidate at disadvantage. Regardless of the situation, we want to avoid this, as relaxed candidates are more open and honest because they have no need to defend themselves.
With this question, you will also be able to find out if the candidates have inquired about your company at all. Although this is an undemanding task in theage of the Internet, which only takes us a few minutes, you will be surprised at the number of candidates who nevertheless have not done their homework.
2. Give an example of when you encountered a challenge or misunderstanding with co-workers (boss) in the workplace and how did you overcome it?
Most candidates roll their eyes at this issue, but this does not dispute the fact that it is one of the key issues. It is important that you know how candidates resolve conflict situations. Every new job requires getting to know new environment, colleagues, way of work, and adapting to these novelties, which is why new candidates are likely to face challenges from the start. And of course, later on as well.
When the candidate answers, it is essential to pay attention to their tone and body language, as well as the description of the situation itself - was it appropriate? And, of course, listen carefully when they tell you how they resolved the conflict.
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3. Describe your ideal position and work environment - if everything were exactly as you wished it to be.
This question is important to see if the candidate matches your current culture and work environment. And not only if they match, but also if they can prosper in such an environment. If a candidate mentions that they like a quiet and peaceful work environment, while there is always something going on in your office, it will probably not be the right fit. Or if candidates state that they work well in a structured environment, while your startup is… well, anything but structured.
When a candidate is explaining their ideal position, also pay attention to whether that position matches the one advertised at all. Then take into account how their desires match the responsibilities of the chosen position. If none of the work tasks match, you probably already know the answer…
4. What are your strengths and skills relevant to the job advertised?
This question reveals more than just the strengths and knowledge of the candidate. It also reveals what the candidate thinks the job requires. If a candidate has blindly applied for the call, this will be immediately apparent from their answer - it is likely that their strengths and knowledge will not match the required ones at all.
5. Do you have any questions that you would like to ask me?
A simple question that gives the candidate an opportunity to find out whatever interests them. It will only be used by those who are actually interested in the job and are therefore attentive throughout the whole interview. Such candidates will ask intelligent and informative questions, while others will not be interested in gaining more relevant information.
