The Best Interview Questions To Ensure You Get To Know Your Applicant

Whether you’re getting ready for your first employee interview or your 100th, you want to make sure the questions you are asking help you find the best possible candidate. There are countless different questions you could ask in an interview, but which ones help you get the best results? Here is a list of the best interview questions to ensure you get to know your applicant.

What is something you can tell me about yourself that isn’t on your resume?

This question can really help you get to know your applicant beyond their work history, education, and accomplishments. Since this question is so open-ended and the applicant may share work or personal things, you really have the opportunity to get to know the applicant with this question.

If there were something in your past you were able to go back and do differently, what would that be?

This question can help you better understand some of your applicant’s weaknesses. Their weakness might have led to poorly handled situations in the past, but their answer also allows you to see their growth. If they are self-aware enough to have grown through previous situations, that is a sign that they will likely continue to grow.

How would your current boss describe you?

This question gives you some insight into how they view their current boss and how their current boss views them. Their tone when speaking about their boss allows you a glimpse into how they view their boss. Their answer gives them the opportunity to share both their strengths and their weaknesses. If they only reveal one of the two, that gives you insight into your applicant.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

This question helps you get to know more about your applicants goals, dreams, and plans. Do they picture themselves moving into a larger role in the next 5 years? Do they picture themselves moving on to another organization? Do they include information beyond where they see themselves professionally? For any applicant, their thoughts on the future can be very insightful for getting to know who they are today.

Do you have any questions for me?

This question is helpful for a number of reasons. This can help you know how much research they have done on your open position and/or organization. Additionally, the questions they ask can offer insight as to situations and people they have encountered in the past.