Good Questions to Ask When Interviewing Someone

Hey there! You know, interviewing someone can feel a bit like dating, right? I mean, both are big deals! You want to find out if you two are a good match; if they'll fit in your team's weird vibe or bring something zesty to your company that you didn't even know you needed.

And just like in dating, the questions you ask can make all the difference. You want to uncover who they truly are, their goals, and whether they can juggle five things at once without dropping the ball (figuratively speaking, of course)! So, let’s dig deep into what good questions you can ask when sitting across the table from a hopeful job candidate.

The Basics: Start With Easy Questions

Before you delve into heavy stuff, begin with some lay-up questions. Ask the kind of questions that lets you drink your coffee without fear!

• What interests you about this role?

• Can you tell me a little about yourself?

By keeping it light at first, you can create a nice atmosphere—one where they feel relaxed. Stiff walls can mean stiff answers, which is like watching paint dry. But if they turn bright and colorful, you might just uncover their best friend inside.

Understanding Their Work History

Getting to know someone’s work history is like flipping through their life scrapbook. You want to see what they thought was important and where they spent their precious time.

• What were the responsibilities in your last job?

• Why did you leave your previous role?

• Tell me about a project you led? How did it go?

These are not just bland inquiries; they help address deeper insights. You might merely notice a passion lurking somewhere, or maybe they become a rambling river of excitement discussing their last contribution to a team!

Assessing Their Skills: About the Nuts and Bolts

Now, as you mesh deeper into the conversation, it’s time to get to the real skills. (Skills matter, after all!) This can help ensure that they have the sum of parts that will fit neatly into the maze that is your team.

• Describe a time when you had to solve a challenging problem. What did you do?

• Are you comfortable working with X technology/tool? Why or why not?

• How do you prioritize your tasks?

Do you think they will launch into a heroic tale of battling deadlines? 😊 Or will they discuss the everyday struggles? 🚧 It can inspire firsthand tales of courage—or just tales of hitting the five cider-pretzel lowpoint in last year’s office celebration.

The Cultural Fit: More Than Just Skills

Skills are crucial, but here’s a juicy truth: it doesn’t matter how good they are if they clash with your team. Have you ever tried plugging a square peg into a round hole? (Buzzkill, right?) Life's too short to find mismatched candidates that don't vibe with your group ideals.

• What does teamwork mean to you?

• Can you tell me about a conflict you had with a coworker and how you resolved it?

• What are your values when it comes to work?

Remember, sometimes you’ll need to read between the lines when they're telling these stories. Are they fostering positivity or throwing shade? Their reaction to past experiences can give you clues.

Checking Their Passion and Ambitions

So, your candidate seems to laser-focus on duties pret­ty well, but where is their spark? Their motivations matter infinitely. Something’s cooking deeper inside, right? You want to stir the pot a bit—wonder where they’re headed.

• Where do you see yourself in five years?

• What excited you most in your career so far?

• What would make your work fulfilling?

Keep those follow-ups rolling in too! When they slowly unravel those future day-dreams or reveal their reason for diving into that industry, this conversation practically becomes your office vision board! How neat is that?

Behavioral Questions can Reveal Everything

What’s the chance a classic interview becomes exceptionally easy if you ask behavioral-based questions? Here are gold nuggets of questions to ask in those moments!

• Give me an example of when you went over and above—for someone else?

• How do you stay disciplined when working from home?

Final Touch: Setting the Stage for You Both

Now that we have the groundwork set for clues about them and through their responses about their skills, past experiences, and voice, there’s always that last pivotal moment—setting expectations right!

• What appeals to you the most about this job?

• What kind of career development are you interested in?

• When do you believe you thrive the most when having to work with a team?

Wrap it Up!

Whoa, we loaded up quite the treasure chest here. Engaging in an interview should feel lively; it should be delightful, don’t you think? 

On that note, never underestimate good questions. They can lead to excellent discoveries! Ultimately, you’re just trying to build a squad that motivates supporting each other's goals while roping catchy legacy-filled outcomes in your lovely organization!

Till next time, happy interviewing!