Asking the right questions in a job interview is essential for constructive and relevant interactions with candidates.
Doing so enables recruiters to better assess the personality, skills and motivation of job applicants. As a result, they’ll be able to efficiently sift applications and easily identify the profiles that are best suited to the position.
In this article, we present 10 questions to ask candidates in order to assess different aspects of their profile.
1 – Can you tell us about your professional experience and career to date?
One of the first questions to ask in a job interview is a comprehensive overview of the candidate’s career path.
The candidate’s response to this question should be structured and concise. It should highlight the important events in their career path, the skills acquired and the personal and professional achievements that make the candidate ideal for the position.
The information provided in response to this interview question will offer a better insight into their potential. The employer will then be able to predict the candidate’s success in the position more effectively, especially in the case of predictive recruitment.
2 – How would you describe your working style?
All companies generally need employees who can integrate quickly into their teams. For this reason, one of the questions to ask in a job interview is to assess the candidate’s ability to integrate.
By asking a candidate about their working style, the recruiter can understand how they will organize themselves, collaborate with others and manage tasks.
Depending on the answer given, the recruiter will know whether the candidate is compatible with the company’s culture, the requirements of the position and whether they will be able to integrate easily. This is essential to guarantee the candidate’s performance in the role.
3 – Why did you apply for this position with our company?
The question of why a candidate applied for the job is a perfect way of finding out what really motivates them. By addressing this point, it’s not only possible to discover the candidate’s ambitions, but also to identify the elements of the offer that prompted them to apply. In addition to revealing more about the profile in question, this question provides data that will be of great use in optimizing the recruitment process.
Through this question, potential employees are expected to demonstrate their understanding of the company, its values and its projects. They must also demonstrate that their aspirations are aligned with the organization’s mission.
Finally, they should demonstrate enthusiasm for the position, explaining how their skills and experience can help achieve the job’s objectives.
4 – What are your expectations in terms of professional development in this position?
It is helpful to ask this question to identify a candidate’s ambitions and expectations in terms of career development and advancement within the company.
It helps the interviewer ascertain whether the applicant has long-term goals and expectations in terms of professional development. Based on the interviewer’s response, they can check whether the applicant’s career plan is compatible with the development opportunities offered by the company.
This interview question enables the recruiter to find out how the candidate sees their future with the company.
The recruiter will also be able to make note of the candidate’s answer to ensure they receive support in the role, allowing them to be the most effective, motivated and productive if they are selected for the position.
This can help reduce the company’s turnover rate, which is one of the most relevant recruitment KPIs.
5 – Are you currently looking for a position with another company?
Most jobseekers apply for positions with several companies.
When this is the case for a candidate, it indicates they are actively seeking opportunities and evaluating several options to find the best compromise between their skills, career aspirations and the demands of the job market.
Asking this question is a good way of assessing their level of commitment to their job search, motivation and ability to sell themselves.
It can also give an indication of the competition the company faces to attract that candidate, and can provide insights into how to optimise its status in the market.
Finally, this question can also reveal the candidate’s job search strategy, as well as their priorities and selection criteria for a position.
6 – How do you handle situations of conflict or stress?
This interview question helps the interviewer find out how the candidate handles stressful situations and what their attitude is when under pressure. It reveals the candidate’s conflict management skills and resilience in stressful situations.
Candidates must therefore demonstrate that they can handle conflict situations professionally and constructively. They must also prove that they can give their best, even in difficult situations.
An effective tip here is to invite the applicant to provide examples of professional situations where they have shone, despite pressure. You could gain valuable insights into their stress management skills at work.
7 – What is your source of motivation?
Another question to ask in a job interview is about the candidate’s source of motivation, i.e. what drives them to commit to and excel at their job.
By addressing this aspect, it will be possible to discover what deeply inspires and motivates the candidate. This is useful to get an idea of their level of zeal for the job, and how they might fit into the company’s culture.
In addition, understanding what inspires the candidate can also help you determine whether they will not only perform well, but be satisfied and fulfilled in their work.
This can help reduce psychosocial risks in the workplace. A motivated and fulfilled employee is more likely to be involved in a positive and lasting way, thus contributing to a harmonious and productive work environment.
8 – Could you tell me about a project you’re particularly proud of, and explain what role you played in its success?
The purpose of this interview question is to assess a candidate’s potential through a study of previous achievements and contributions to major projects.
This gives candidates the opportunity to highlight their strengths and skills that are not necessarily mentioned on their curriculum vitae.
By answering this question, the candidate is expected to demonstrate their ability to bring projects to fruition, identify their own successes and show how their actions have contributed to overall success.
Their response will also reveal to the recruiter their creativity, level of commitment and team spirit. Based on the example given, the recruiter can deduce whether the candidate is capable of meeting the requirements of the objectives and projects associated with the position.
This interview question provides a concrete assessment of the candidate’s skills and potential, as well as valuable insights into their ability to fit in and thrive in the proposed role.
9 – Tell us about a mistake you made and what you learned from it
One of the aspects to be assessed during a job interview is the candidate’s ability to recognize mistakes, learn from experience and improve. This is an essential quality for success and performance in the workplace.
To do this, the recruiter might ask the candidate to share a failure or mistake that occurred during their professional career. This interview question will reveal the candidate’s honesty, resilience and ability to handle challenges.
The candidate is then expected to succinctly recount important mistakes, while emphasizing the lessons they learned from them.
10 – What are your salary expectations?
There are several key reasons why salary expectations are one of the most important issues to address during a job interview.
On the one hand, this interview question enables the recruiter to ensure that the candidate’s salary expectations are in line with the company’s budget.
On the other hand, by introducing this topic, the parties can avoid misunderstandings and clarify their expectations. This will enable them to negotiate transparently and effectively.
If they can’t provide a precise figure, candidates can propose a salary range. This shows that they are flexible and therefore open to compromise.
The salary range given in response to this interview question should be based on a number of criteria, such as professional experience, specific skills, industry standards, cost of living, salaries offered for similar positions, and company size.
What to remember about job interview questions?
In summary, the interview is a crucial phase in the hiring process. To ensure that it runs smoothly, the recruiter needs to know what questions to ask during the interview, so as to steer the conversation and quickly obtain the information they require.
The 10 questions presented in this article are an excellent starting point for creating your own checklist as a recruiter.They will help you to assess your candidates in depth on aspects such as:
- Career path;
- Expectations for professional development and advancement;
- Soft skills;
- Successes and failures in previous professional experiences.
In a recruitment process, good preparation and a structured approach can make all the difference.By adapting these interview questions to your company culture, you’ll be better equipped to identify the talent that will contribute to your company’s growth.
