Interviewing during the recruitment process is crucial as it allows the recruiter to know the candidate more and understand their strong and weak areas. This will help you decide whether or not the candidate is suitable for the job described.
Interviewing also gives you a chance to observe how the interviewee reacts under pressure and how fast they can solve a problem. To get this information and have a successful interview session, ensure that you are, asking the right questions.
Below are some outlined questions to allow you to gather all the information you need before deciding to hire or dismiss the candidate.
Warm-up question
Candidates in front of the hiring panel are, in many cases anxious, and uncomfortable. A warm-up question will help ease the tension and relax the interviewee. Relaxed candidates are likely to answer your questions in detail compared to anxious ones. Start by asking them to summarize their work and education history. This shows the candidate that you are genuinely interested in getting to know them. It will also help you determine if their answer harmonizes with the job you are offering.
How do you measure a productive day at work?
This question will allow you to know the candidate’s principles and what they believe to be a productive day. If these principles do not align with your company’s, it means you will always be struggling to achieve a productive workday.
Asking the interviewee this question will enable you to know whether they value customer satisfaction, accomplishing many tasks, or having as much free time as possible.
Some roles require a lot of commitment, and if the candidate measures a productive day by the time they get to relax, they would be unsuitable for these roles. However, your preferences may vary depending on the position and the tasks.
Describe a line manager who brought out the best version of you
A candidate might be adequately skilled and have all the proper papers but have a personality that can clash with other team members. Having a character that doesn’t work with other employees makes the candidate’s experience irrelevant.
This phase is the perfect moment to discover if your interviewee binds or tears teams apart, and if it happens to be the latter, they are likely unsuitable for your business. The question will help determine whether such managers exist or their answers align with how your managers function.
How do you feel about working late or coming into the office early on some occasions?
This is the question to give you an idea of the interviewee’s attitude towards work and if they have duties apart from office work that they must handle. These responsibilities may include children, spouses, or volunteer work they do during their free time.
The factors, however, shouldn’t rule them out as unsuitable as long as they can carry out the work assigned to them. Other questions may include what they’d do if they felt exploited or if they found themselves idle at the office. Such questions should help you determine your candidate’s attitude towards work.
What aspects of the job at hand do you think would challenge you?
Hiring a self-aware candidate is critical as self-awareness is a valuable skill. Research performed highlighted a correlation between companies with higher return rates and employees with fewer blind spots.
It also states that employees who know their strengths allow them to put them to use when needed. Being aware of their weaknesses can stop them from not reacting as required in certain circumstances. Acknowledging their weaknesses also means they can proactively seek to improve and turn them to be their strong points.
Where do you picture yourself in five years?
This question is critical, especially if you see the interviewee as your company’s investment. Even though you might be recruiting them for a subordinate role at that moment, you should be confident that they are happy to grow and progress. To succeed, always ensure that whatever they are doing pushes them to do more and be better.
Answers such as ‘happily married and with children’ will tell you that the candidate’s priorities aren’t necessarily climbing up their career ladder. But when a candidate’s answer is ‘I intend to better myself and be where you’re now,’ you’ll know that they are aspiring and are willing to establish a career with your organization. The correct answer will, of course, depend on what you are looking to get.
Do you have any questions for me?
This is the question to wrap up the interview. Candidates who are genuinely passionate or interested in the job will have prepared a few relevant questions for the hiring panel. If it was a long and detailed discussion, the interviewee might have already asked their questions. In such a case, it is okay for the candidate to have no questions to ask.
The interview process is not all rainbows and sunshine, especially if you have many candidates to interview. The questions discussed above will help make the process less stressful and maybe even more fun.
Less Business Travel and More Online Meetings
Creative office spaces may be a thing of the past, but companies will introduce outdoor spaces for interactions. Workers can use the outdoor spaces for meetings since they will have adequate space for social distancing. Besides, the fresh air can reduce the spread of germs. Some of the outdoor areas can also be working spaces for employees who need fresh air.
Many companies may adopt a remote working model indefinitely. However, those hoping to adopt a hybrid model need to make the necessary adjustments to make the work environment safe for employees.
