The resume rarely reveals how suitable candidates are beyond basic qualifications. Mastering the art of strategic interview questioning is crucial to determining motivations, uncovering hidden strengths, and confirming organizational compatibility.
Below we unpack the top 10 interview questions to ask when evaluating potential hires.
1. What Sparks Your Interest in this Role and Our Company?
First, assess the candidate’s genuine passion for the core functions of the position and alignment with the organization’s product, mission, and culture before diving into skills. Deep intrinsic motivation often sustains higher employee engagement and retention over time. When evaluating their response, consider specifics rather than generalizations about the role and company.
2. Share a Time You Tackled a Difficult Work Project or Complex Problem.
Open-ended prompts that ask candidates to walk through an analytical process or difficult problem they have solved reveal problem-solving abilities far better than simply asking about technical skills. Listen for how organized and methodical their workflow process was, whether they grounded solutions in available data insights, and what perspectives they gained from any mistakes made along the way when evaluating their response.
3. If We Surveyed Your Peers, What Would They Emphasize as Your Biggest Strengths and Areas for Improvement?
This question tests a candidate’s emotional intelligence and self-awareness. Listen for how candidly and thoughtfully they discuss their reputation among peers when it comes to work habits, key contributions they’re known for, and opportunities to continue developing. Candidates who can insightfully self-reflect demonstrate maturity and stand to gain much more from constructive feedback over time.
4. Walk Me Through Your Decision-Making Process When Priorities Conflict and Resources Run Thin.
Having candidates describe their workflow and leadership approach in situations with conflicting stakeholder priorities, limited team bandwidth, and unclear constraints is pivotal. How do they remain focused on overarching goals, align interests, communicate tradeoffs, and avoid paralysis by over analysis when information is imperfect and stress runs high? Evaluating composure, systematic thinking, and focus helps predict how they will thrive in ambiguous, resource-constrained environments – a key but underrated skill.
5. Why Are You Leaving Your Current Position?
A candidate’s reasons for moving on are insightful, but pay close attention to how they contextualize and take ownership of that decision. Specifically, listen for whether they discuss wanting career changes in an accountable way versus externalizing blame onto previous employers, colleagues, or temporary adjustments. Top performers demonstrate personal leadership accountability even during transitions – a key predictor of future excellence.
6. Where Do You Expect Your Career Trajectory Will Lead in 5 Years?
A candidate’s 5-year vision reveals helpful context. Specifically, listen for aspirations grounded in developing greater mastery and expanding leadership responsibility versus status alone. Candidates focused on purposeful advancement often bring self-motivated work ethics and continually add value. However, balanced priorities focused more on work-life integration can still demonstrate strong intrinsic motivation as long as a growth mindset persists.
7. What Specific Changes or Growth Opportunities Would Idealize Your Next Role?
Career transitions reveal a lot. Listen for whether candidates thoughtfully articulate targeted improvements vs generically chasing “greener pastures” that often disappoint. Specifically, strong responses identify strategic next moves, fill current gaps, leverage existing motivations and strengths further, and prepare for a long-term trajectory. Discern if they communicate specific needs this opening finally addresses that eluded in previous positions.
8. Among Past Managers, Which Leadership Qualities Did You Admire or Find Most Effective?
The leadership traits and behaviors candidates affirm valuing in others often reflect qualities they seek to emulate themselves. However, be attentive to any subtle defensiveness, avoidance, or lack of transparency when discussing ineffective management relationships or less-than-ideal bosses. The goal is a candid, nuanced reflection that thoughtfully parses out admirable leaders without unrealistic expectations.
9. When Facing Criticism, What Process Do You Use to Reflect?
How candidates respond to, and process criticism, feedback, and failures reveal resilience, which is essential for high performers. Listen for structured reflection rituals and examples demonstrating acknowledging blind spots, seeking multiple perspectives, extracting insights, and sustaining a growth mindset. Specificity in how they integrate feedback to adapt and improve is key rather than generalizations.
10. What Haven’t I Asked That Feels Critical For Accessing Your Potential Alignment?
Closing with an open-ended prompt invites additional key insights candidates feel are pertinent that you didn’t cover. But beware of tangents that meander or attempt to gloss over weaknesses. Listen for responses identifying relevant complementary strengths or cultural values that indicate alignment. Concision matters most here, even over thoroughness.
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