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10 Key Questions to Ask an Interviewee So You Hire the Right Candidate

Finding the right candidate for your business can be challenging and the interview process plays a pivotal role in getting the insights you need to make an informed decision. This article offers a list of 10 key questions you should ask to help you get to know your interviewee better. 

Interviews are often one of the most crucial parts of the hiring process. They allow you to assess the skills, abilities and relevant experience of candidates to discover whether they would be a good fit for the role and the business.1  

The interview is a chance to have a collaborative conversation with a potential employee. By thinking of the interview this way, you could help put candidates at ease, making them more comfortable answering your questions honestly.1 

10 Questions to Ask an Interviewee During the Interview Process 

To help you find the best candidate for the job, here are some of the key questions your should ask your interviewee: 

1. What attracted you specifically to this position? 

How a candidate answers this question can help you gauge their enthusiasm for the role and research into your business. An enthusiastic candidate often displays excellent work ethic and loyalty to their company.1 It also helps you understand which aspects of the role they are most interested in. 

2. What professional achievement are you most proud of? 

This question will help you understand what skills a candidate thinks are most important and how well they transfer to the job.1 Whether their achievement focuses on a successful team project, a personal award, or a certification can help you discover which situations the candidate does well in.  

3. What skills would you most like to improve upon? 

This question can help reveal where the candidate feels they can improve and show their self-awareness for when it comes to personal development.1 It can also highlight how the candidate identifies the steps needed to achieve personal improvement and the amount of planning they put into their professional development.1 

two interviewers sat across the table form an interviewee

4. Imagine you’re leading a project. How would you approach delegating tasks? 

This is an example of a situational question which can give you more insight into how your interviewee is likely to respond to any challenges that arise on the job.2 A hypothetical situation like this allows them to showcase their potential planning skills. Giving them the opportunity to share specific solutions to difficult situations can give you an idea of how they might fit within the team or organisation. 

5. Describe a time at work when things didn’t go as planned. What did you do to move forward?  

This behavioural question invites interviewees to reflect on their previous job experience and describe a challenge they faced in their own words. How they answer this question can provide insight into how they approach setbacks, team building and professional growth.2 

6. How would your coworkers describe you? 

A question like this demands a more thoughtful response than “tell me about yourself” and shows whether candidates can offer more than just a generic answer.3 Answers like “hardworking”, “team player”, or “nice” are fine, but the best candidates will follow up with “real-life examples” to give you a better picture of their character.3 

7. Tell me something about yourself that isn’t on your CV. 

This is open-ended enough to allow the candidate to decide how they want to approach the question and what kind of information they’d like to share with you. They may share volunteering or charitable experiences, hobbies or travel experiences that can give you a better idea of what kind of employee they may be.4 

8. What would you like to achieve while working for us? 

This question should reveal a candidate’s motivations for wanting the role and their understanding of the role and your company.3 This can help you identify if they are a good fit for the role or the company in general and how your business could help them achieve their goals. 

9. Why are you leaving your current employer? 

Pay close attention to how the interviewee talks about their previous or current job. If they can talk about their previous employer and workplace with respect, it shows they can be civil and professional which are important qualities in any role.4  

10. Do you have any questions for me? 

A “classic way to end an interview”, this question can demonstrate a candidate’s interest in the role and your company. Specific questions relevant to the company or the job role show that they have taken the time to think about any further information they may want about the position.1 

A job interview is the perfect opportunity for you to get a feel for whether or not a candidate is not only qualified for the role but whether they’re someone who would be a good fit for the culture of your company.4 Leave interviewees with a positive impression of your business by thanking them for their participation in the interview process and giving them an idea of when they can expect to hear from you.1