During a job interview, the exchanges between you and your candidate must be structured. This is what will allow you to take stock of the elements that really matter in your recruitment. To better know the candidate, his motivations, his strengths, his faults and his skills, you can start the recruitment interview by asking general questions, to go, little by little, to more specific questions, always favoring the questions open.
Can you introduce yourself?
This question may seem trivial, but it will give you a first impression of the candidate. By showing up, he will bring out what matters most. You will learn more about the reasons that lead him to apply for your company today, and you will have a brief overview of his background and his motivations. This initial introduction can then guide the rest of the interview.
Why do you want to work in our company?
Thanks to this question, you will know more about the motivations of the candidate. You will also know if he has inquired about your company, and will be able to assess his level of interest in the position and his involvement. Ask him what he understands about the company, but also how he is interested in the position in question.
What could you bring to this position?
This question will allow you to take stock of the qualities of the candidate. He will be able to talk about his strong points and will be able to project himself. You will be able to analyze if the candidate has thought about the adequacy between his skills and the position, and if he knows how he can enrich it.
Tell me about a failure you have encountered in your job. How did you react to this failure?
Thanks to this question, you will learn more about the character of the candidate, his reactions, his qualities but also his faults. Disagreement with a colleague, a supervisor, with a client, objectives not achieved… By analyzing the candidate’s tone and reactions, you will be able, thanks to this question, to assess their level of emotional intelligence: an essential quality, whatever or the position in question.
Can you tell me about your current job?
You will be able to assess your candidate’s communication skills, while learning more about their background. Do not hesitate to investigate further on this job in question: why is he leaving his post? What has this experience taught him? How did he support his company in the pursuit of its objectives?
Tell me about a long project you worked on before.
You will be able, with this question, to take stock of the skills of your candidate. Ask him what means he has put in place to meet deadlines. What are the areas of improvement that he would like to put in place if he had to do it again? You will learn more about their analytical skills and their ability to learn from their past experiences.
If I ask one of your former employers, or your colleagues, what will they tell me about you?
Thanks to this question, you will know more about the type of relationship that the candidate had with his hierarchical superiors. You will also learn more about his interpersonal skills and how he will collaborate with the other members of your team. To choose between several candidates, this question is fundamental: you must know the strengths of your current team and choose a candidate who can complement them.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
You will be able to measure the candidate’s ability to project themselves. This question will help you assess their motivations and level of ambition. Give priority to candidates who are involved in their career and who have clear professional objectives. This question may also lead you to explain to the candidate how your company can help him achieve his goals. Don’t forget that the interview phase must also allow the candidate to project themselves with you.
Give me an example of an action you would take to motivate your team. This question will tell you more about the skills of the candidate. If he is to occupy a managerial position within your company, this is a question that will allow you to realize his faculties to motivate the team in order to enable him to achieve his objectives.