Asking the right interview questions can be the difference between hiring someone who is a valuable, long-term employee who fulfils not just the role requirements but is also the right cultural fit, or the hire of someone who resigns 6 weeks in ?

We’ve put together some of our “go to” interview questions that help us to get to know our candidates.

1. Out of your previous roles, which was your favourite and least favourite workplace?

It doesn’t take long to see the red flags with this one. The key here is to understand the type of workplace your candidate is looking for and whether your organisation would be a good fit. The candidate may also give you a clearer sense for why they are searching for a new role and indicate if they would be suitable for your team or not.

2. What is a highlight of your career over the past 3 years?

This is a great way to gain an insight into what they consider to be an achievement, and what they believe is important. It’s also a really nice way to get them talking about something they feel good about and are proud of, which can help to ease any nerves.

3. What is the difference between a good, great and exceptional {job title}?

This question is aimed to assist the hiring manager to understand the candidate and how they view role performance. This allows you to link back to your own measure of success and assess whether the candidate might be a good fit for your team and if they are suitable for the requirements of the position.

4. What can you tell me about yourself that isn’t on your resume?

The aim is to get to know the candidate and what they enjoy or are involved in outside the professional setting. You might also use this question to understand whether they would be a good fit for your team and gain a sense of their work-life balance. The candidate may also reveal more about their own motivations and allows to assess whether the position is something which aligns with the candidate’s goals in the long-term

5. What do you think will be most challenging aspects of this position and how will you approach these challenges?

We’re looking to understand how the candidate feels they will integrate in their new position. The candidate may also reveal areas of weakness and where they need the most development to meet the demands of the role. The hiring manager can use this information to tailor the onboarding experience to ensure they succeed in their new role.

6. What work are you most proud of and why?

This is a great question to assess how the candidate measures their own success. It will also help the hiring manager to get a sense for how the candidate defines success in their career and what they might be looking for in a new role. Are they most proud of work achieved as part of a team? Or work they have done working on their own? These are all important factors to consider when evaluating the suitability of the candidate for your team and the requirements of the position.

7. Tell me about a time you had to demonstrate adaptability

We love this question because it helps us get to know our candidates and how they react to challenges and different situations. When the candidate starts working in a new organisation it is likely to take time for them to get integrated with a new team, systems and processes.

8. If I was to call your references, what would they say about you? (positive and negative).

Not only does this allow the candidate to self-evaluate their own performance from an ‘outside’ perspective but it also gives them an opportunity to discuss areas of strength and weakness from their own experience.

Our Favourite Interview Questions

Mansfield & Co Recruitment