15 best questions to ask an interviewee

While job interviews are generally considered to be anxiety-inducing for candidates, they can be stressful for interviewers as well. This short duration can mean the difference between hiring the right fit or an employee who will leave within 6 months. 

One of the ways to deal with this challenge is by asking the right interview questions. So, here’s a list of best questions including behavioral interview questions to ask an interviewee that will help you make the most out of your interview time.

1. Why do you want to work with us?

Although this is one of the most common interview questions to ask a candidate, it is still effective. A candidate’s response will show what they know about your business and what their expectations are from working there. It can also help you filter out candidates who do not know much about your organisation, and therefore may end up being the wrong fit.

2. Teach me something new/complex in 5 minutes. 

Often employees are required to work with colleagues and customers who may not be familiar with certain terms. Hence, it’s necessary to evaluate whether they will be able to carry out such interactions. Posing this interview question can be especially helpful when you are hiring for technical roles.

3. What is your ideal work environment?/What is the best working relationship you’ve had with a manager?

The right work environment is pivotal to an employee’s success at a company. Use this question to understand their working style such as whether they prefer working alone or with a team. The response to this interview question will help you ensure that your company environment is the best fit for them. 

4. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment till date?

By asking a candidate about their greatest accomplishment, you can get an insight into their greatest strengths. If their biggest achievement was a group project, pay attention to the role that they played. 

5. If you could improve something about yourself, what would it be?

Use this interview question if you want to explore how self aware the candidate is and if they are proactive about constant learning.

6. If you are hired, what are the 3 things you hope to achieve in your projects?

This is an important question for roles where you want the candidate to hit the ground running.  If the candidate has researched the pain points of your company, then this question can show initiative on their part. Apart from this, it will show how well the candidate has understood what’s expected of them.

7. What excites you about working in this industry?

This question is meant to uncover a candidate’s passion for a job or how they keep pace with the developments in the industry.

8. How does this job fit into your career goals?

If the job fits into the future plans of a candidate, then they are more likely to be motivated on the job. The job that they are applying to may not be directly connected to their future goals but they should know the purpose it serves. For example, maybe they want to hone a particular skill.

9. What is your dream job?

Asking this interview question can serve various purposes. It can show how ambitious a candidate is, how the job is helpful for their future goals, or what’s their working style (if they describe a particular work environment/management style).

If you want to evaluate how a candidate would perform in situations that they will face during their employment, then you can try out behavioral interview questions. Here are a list of top behavioral interview questions to ask an interviewee:

10. Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone whose opinion you did not agree with.

Behavioral interview questions like this one will help you evaluate the candidate’s ability to resolve workplace challenges and keep the work going. Additionally, it can serve as an insight into their attitude towards collaboration.

11. Tell me about a skill/experience that makes you the right candidate for this job.

This question will ensure that both of you are on the same page about what the job entails. Moreover, it can serve as a spin on the common interview question, ‘why should we hire you?’.

12. Tell me about a time when you overcame a challenge. How did you approach it and what were the results?

With this interview question, you can gauge how an interviewee will behave when faced with uncertainty. How well do they adapt? How do they define goals and measure success?

13. Tell me something that’s not on your resume.

Besides putting the candidate at ease, this interview question can help you get a holistic view of the candidate. It can help you learn more about their personality. For example, an interviewee who enjoys sports may thrive in a collaborative workplace or role.

This interview question may also bring up a new skill that the candidate may have and you could use in your business.

14. Tell me about a time when you failed.

There will be times when an employee will deal with setbacks at the workplace. An interview question like this one, can give you a sense of how the candidate works on their shortcomings. It can also alert you to any red flags such as laying blame on someone else.

15. Do you have any questions/feedback for us?

Job interview is an opportunity for both employer and candidate to learn whether the role will be a right fit. By inviting questions and feedback,  you can make it a two-way conversation with the candidate and help them figure out if the role would be suitable for them.

Now that you know which are the best questions to ask an interviewee, find the best candidates by registering and posting a job on Fresher Jobs on Internshala.

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