The Most Important Job Interview Question Recruiters Should Be Asking

Conducting good interviews is a skill that takes time to master. There are so many questions you can ask a potential candidate, yet some questions are more important than others. Everybody hates the basic interview questions like “Could you tell me about yourself?” and “How did you hear about this position?”

To really get to know your candidate and see if they’re a good fit for the job, you need to think outside the box more and ask more creative questions. Take a look at the most important job interview questions as listed below.

1. Tell me about a time you had a conflict at your last job and how you resolved it?
This question is good because it lets you know how the candidate deals with issues and might be able to deal with issues at the company. It gives them a chance to speak for themselves and highlight how or why they did the right thing when there was a problem. 

2. Why are you leaving your current job?
This lets you know if the candidate caused any problems at their last job. Are they leaving because they were fired? Or are they leaving because they wanted to advance in their role and they weren’t able to. This question allows you to see the candidate’s motivation to work for another company and depending on what they say, it also lets you know whether or not they will stay in the company for a long time. 

3. Do you have any questions for me?
This is one of the best questions you can ask in the job interview because it gives the candidate a chance to ask anything that they want to learn about the company and lets them highlight their own interest in the role. This question lets the candidate learn more about company culture and other important things and serves to connect with you on a more personal level. 

4. Tell me something about yourself that isn’t included on the resume
You’re hiring a person, not a robot and a good personality in the workplace can really help someone get far. You should always get to know your candidates before hiring them and this gives you the chance to do so. It also shows that you care and can give you a sense of how they might work with others on a team.

5. What drew you to this position?
This lets you know how enthusiastic the candidate might be for the job and also allows you to see if they have researched the company and the role.

6. What are some of your biggest accomplishments in work?
Asking this one allows you to learn about the job seeker more in depth, see what kind of strengths they have, and whether those strengths would benefit your company. If they have a lot of accomplishments at work, maybe they would be a good asset to your company. 

7. Do you have any weaknesses in work?
Everyone makes mistakes sometimes and nobody is perfect. Admitting that you have a weakness or aren’t always perfect at your job is a sign of strength and shows motivation to do your best. If someone says they have never experienced a problem at their job and that they’ve always done it perfectly, this shows that they might not be able to own up to a mistake if they ever run into one at your organization.

Asking questions is the best way to get to know your candidate, you just need to know which ones to ask. Follow this list and you’ll be sure to connect with them in every way possible.