What are the Best Hiring Interview Questions?

Hiring employees is an important step to creating an efficient, cohesive workspace. Though hiring interview questions will differ with each position, it is important to make the most out of any interview process by asking useful questions. Choosing the best hiring questions can help an employer target potential new workers who have good attitudes, are enthusiastic about the job, and who are likely to fit in with the rest of the team.

One useful treasure trove of hiring interview questions involves the candidate's job history or last job. Some experts recommend asking how a candidate would have improved work life at his or her last job. If the candidate launches into a list of complaints about how stupid his managers, coworkers, and workplace was, this can be a telling sign about attitude. On the other hand, if the person has some ready and constructive suggestions about how he or she would have improved the workplace, it may show that time was spent analyzing the situation and trying to improve it, which may be a very good sign. It may also be a good idea to ask why a person left his or her last job.

Once the past is covered, some good hiring interview questions will involve the present. Consider asking why the candidate applied to the current position, and what he or she knows about the company. Having knowledge about the job and the business can show that a person has done some research, which may bode well for the future. Some experts recommend asking what jobs or tasks the candidate would not like doing or doesn't feel comfortable with, to gauge how he or she would fit in with the team. It may also be telling to ask what a person will want to focus on first if he or she gets the job.

Since employee retention is important to workplace efficiency and reputation, some hiring interview questions can focus on the future. Consider asking what type of salary and benefits a candidate desires, and how much he or she would like to be making in five or ten years. It is important to discuss the potential opportunities for advancement and promotion, to find out if the candidate is interested in making a long-term commitment to the job.

Some experts suggest that it is good to ask a few basic, important hiring interview questions and then allow follow-up questions to dictate the flow of the interview. When a candidate gives an interesting or intriguing answer, or says something that raises a red flag, probe the subject with deeper questions to get a better understanding of what he or she meant. Allowing questions to develop into discussions through follow-up queries is a good way to come out of a hiring interview with a clear sense of personality and attitude, rather than a vague impression obtained through short answers.