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When you\u2019re hiring to fill a position, it\u2019s important to ensure your interview captures the right data to adequately evaluate and choose the right candidate for the role, the team, and the company. The best way to do this is to develop strategic interview questions to ask candidates so you can determine who you\u2019re most interested in.<\/p>\n
Rather than asking generic interview questions, consider spending additional time developing strategic questions that will provide you with deeper insight into the candidate and how they might fit into your company\u2019s culture. Interviews should help you better understand an applicant’s skills, personality, and future career goals.<\/p>\n
However, for certain roles, you may also want to understand how they behave on an individual level or in a team environment. You may want to better understand how they navigate stressful or complicated situations or how they handle uncomfortable situations. By asking strategic questions, you can get insights into all of these things.<\/p>\n
Key Takeaways<\/b><\/p>\n Strategic interview questions give you the opportunity to determine whether or not this candidate is suitable for the position you\u2019re interviewing them for.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n In strategic interviews, ask questions that are open-ended and allow your candidate to answer and follow up with questions. You will typically get more from a candidate if you allow them to answer something that is open-ended.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The three types of strategic interview questions you can ask are career development<\/a> questions, behavioral questions, and situational questions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Conducting an interview with strategic questions is no different than conducting a regular interview. You should come to the interview prepared<\/a>, having read the candidate\u2019s resume and done some research on their job history. Be sure to come prepared to listen and consider the following.<\/p>\n Ask specific role-related questions.<\/b> It\u2019s important to include specific questions that will help you determine whether or not this candidate is suitable for the position you\u2019re interviewing them for. Don\u2019t be afraid to get into specifics if the experience is important, or attempt to feel out if the candidate could be trained in certain areas.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ask the same questions to each candidate.<\/b> It\u2019s important to stay consistent when interviewing your candidates. The responses to each question will differ, which may help you make your decision about who is more suitable for the job.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ask open-ended questions.<\/b> This is where listening<\/a> is key \u2014 ask questions that are open-ended and allow your candidate to answer and follow up with questions, if possible. You will typically get more from a candidate if you allow them to answer something that is open-ended.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n It\u2019s first important to decide what you want to know from your interview. Be sure to consider how much time you have with each candidate and be reasonable with how much you try to pack into the meeting. Having a general goal of what to focus on will help guide you towards the answer you seek.<\/p>\n As mentioned above, open-ended<\/a> questions are the best types of questions to ask during interviews. They require a more in-depth response and can provide you with more information about the candidate than a closed-ended question can. When you\u2019re developing your questions, try to compose them in an open-ended way.<\/p>\n For example, if you want to ask your candidate if they have management experience, you can ask, \u201cHave you managed teams in the past? What has been the most successful managing strategy you\u2019ve used?\u201d or, \u201cTell me about a management experience you are most proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n Most commonly, employers are looking to understand how their candidates may behave in stressful or overwhelming environments, how they handle client-facing meetings, how they handle adversity, and if they are a good fit for your broader team. There are three types of strategic interview questions you can consider off the bat.<\/p>\n Career development questions.<\/b> These questions should be used if a candidate is looking to land a leadership<\/a> role in your organization. Additionally, if you\u2019re looking for an employee who is interested in staying with the company long-term, career development questions can be helpful to use.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Behavioral questions.<\/b> These types of questions can help you understand how compatible your candidate is with your business, goals<\/a>, and culture.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Situational questions.<\/b> Situational questions will give you a better understanding of whether or not your candidate can handle the scenarios they may be faced with in the role they\u2019re interviewing for.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n What is something about you not listed on your resume?<\/b><\/p>\n A candidate\u2019s resume<\/a> is an important part of their job search as it lists the skills and experience necessary to perform a job well. However, this is a good question to ask if you\u2019re looking to learn more about your candidate on a personal level to decide whether or not they\u2019d be a good fit for your work culture.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n What is a difficult work situation you\u2019ve faced, and how did you solve it?<\/b><\/p>\n As an employer, it\u2019s important to understand how your candidate might handle any adversity. This is an important question to ask, so be sure to listen to their response, as it will give you a glimpse into how they might face difficult scenarios on the job.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n What are your strengths and weaknesses?<\/b><\/p>\n Although these are common questions for interviewers, it\u2019s another important one to ask. You\u2019ll want to understand how your candidates self-identify and how self-aware they can be regarding their experience and skill set<\/a>. It may also give you insight into how well they take constructive criticism and their capacity for growth.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Where do you see yourself in a year?<\/b><\/p>\n This question can help you better understand if your candidate has future plans for growth or if they are actively goal-setting and thinking about areas of self-improvement. Whether their response is personal or professional, it\u2019s good to understand their motivation for continued growth.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n How do the people you work with describe you?<\/b><\/p>\n Although similar to strengths and weaknesses, it\u2019s an important question to ask. This will give a better understanding of the candidate\u2019s egos, their perception of working with a team, and their overall personality.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n How do you deal with tight deadlines?<\/b><\/p>\n This is a great question to ask to better understand how your candidate handles stress. If the job requires tight turn-arounds, it\u2019s important to ask them this question.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n What\u2019s a project you\u2019re most proud of?<\/b><\/p>\n\n
How to Conduct an Interview With Strategic Questions<\/h2>\n
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How to Develop Strategic Questions<\/h2>\n
Types of Strategic Interview Questions<\/h2>\n
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Strategic Interview Questions to Ask Candidates<\/h2>\n
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