By Gibbes Hance
As a recruiter, you need to identify the best candidates that will fit into your organisation as well as get the job done. Generic interview questions won’t cut it – you need unique and thought-provoking questions to separate the top prospects from the rest of the group. Here are some great questions to ask in an interview.
Can you tell me something about yourself that’s not on your CV?
CVs and cover letters can only reveal so much about a person. If you really want to find out what makes someone tick, ask them if they can tell you something that you haven’t seen on their CV. They may choose to tell you about a favourite hobby, another work experience, or something off the cuff like their family or pets. It might sound irrelevant, but the quirks and mannerisms they show in this type of question can reveal potential traits that make them ideal or unsuitable for your organisation.
In what ways do you hope this job will differ from your last?
The type of answer you’re given here will expose a lot about a person’s thought process. They may go on a negative tangent about their past bosses or colleagues which could be a red flag for your business – an overtly critical or pessimistic person is not likely to have a productive attitude going forward. Alternatively, they may look optimistically to their future goals within your company and give a prediction for what they are hoping to achieve. This is a person who thinks positively and proactively about their outlook on both their past and future. If they imply that they don’t expect it to be different, this might be a stagnant candidate who lacks motivation.
What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the past?
This is a multi-functional question. Firstly, it tells you whether this person has the relevant experience and background for the type of role they would be filling in your organisation. If they describe a similar type of project that you can offer them, or demonstrate transferrable skills, you can be confident that this is a candidate who can effectively get the job done. Furthermore, and perhaps more importantly, their attitude is revealed with this question. Do they get excited about talking about past projects? Are they enthusiastic about what they contributed? Here, you can decipher the passionate workers who put their all into a task from the disinterested ones.
The recruitment process can be long and challenging, but with these questions, you are sure to find the best employees. Of course, they need a brilliant working environment to ensure they continue thriving. Why not use Zest’s employee benefits platform to make administration easier?
