Interview Questions That Will Help You Hire Standout Staff

An organisation’s success comes down to it’s people and how good they are at what they do. The people you hire ultimately form your company’s culture and its future success. So how do you hire the best? It’s simple, ask better questions.

Here are some behavioural questions that can help you hire outstanding staff.

HARD WORKING

Question: Describe one of the most challenging days of your career. How did you overcome it?

This question will not only indicate whether the candidate is prepared to do whatever it takes, but illustrates how they handle conflict resolution.

PASSION

Question: Name a non-related work achievement they are proud of and why.

Hiring a staff member with passion is essential. Asking the candidate about a non-work related achievement will allow you to see if they have that spark in their eyes.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Question: Who inspires you and why?

This question will not only reveal who they model themselves after but will give you a little glimpse into their emotional intelligence. Go one step further and ask if there’s any particular trait they have picked up from this person.

GOOD COMMUNICATOR

Question: Describe a situation where your communication skills allowed you to make a meaningful difference to a situation.

This is a tricky one but let’s face it, excellent communication skills are crucial for workplace success. By asking the candidate to demonstrate an example of their strong communication skills you will be able to see if the candidate has the ability to listen with empathy and respect, avoid interrupting as well as expressing oneself effectively and clearly.

SELF-MOTIVATED

Question: List the biggest challenge you have ever faced in your career. How did you overcome it?

Motivation is linked to resiliency, so asking a candidate about a challenging time in their career will show self-awareness and how and if they are self-motivated enough to push through obstacles and remain positive.

TEAM PLAYER

Question: Why do you consider yourself a team player? Tell me about a team project and your contribution.

The ability to work with people is critical in 95% of roles. This question is designed to test the candidate’s ability to interact and work with others in a productive manner. For more senior roles you could ask the candidate to describe a time when you were required to manage a challenging team dynamic.

LEADERSHIP

Question: What qualities do you think leaders possess? How is leadership demonstrated?

The question speaks for itself. By asking the candidate how leadership is demonstrated, you will get a good insight into their leadership style and determine whether or not it’s suitable for the role.

AMBITION

Question: Where do you see yourself progressing in this job?

Simple yet effective. This question will not only determine whether they are overly ambitious and borderline annoying but whether they see themselves working for the company long-term.

SELF-AWARENESS

Question: What would your management team say are your areas to be developed?

This is one of our favourite questions. Being able to comfortably acknowledge flaws and areas of development, means the candidate is self-aware and willing to improve. You could take it one step further and ask the candidate about a mistake they have made in the workplace and how they overcame it.

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