Interviews: Favorite Questions to Get the Best Answers

sign open for business to interview job candidates

I think everyone has a few interview questions that they really like to ask every candidate. I know I do. My favorite interview question is, “Tell me about a time that you had to work with someone you did not personally like.” Another one is “Tell me about a time when you had to support a company decision that you personally didn’t agree with.”

The reason I like these questions is because they use behavioral interviewing techniques. Candidates have to reach back into their work experience and share a story from their past. The answer will provide some insight into how they would react if placed in that situation again.

I also believe these are the types of questions that are hard to fake answers. For example, with the first question about working with people you don’t like, I’m sorry folks, but if anyone tells you “Oh I’m a people person and I get along with everyone.” They’re lying. Pure and simple. We all have to interact with people that might not be on our BFF list. It’s a part of business and there’s nothing wrong with it. The important part is how people handle the situation.

In addition, the candidate’s answer can tell you volumes about the type of people they enjoy (and don’t enjoy) working with, as well as how they handle uncomfortable situations. Great things to know when evaluating how someone will acclimate into your company culture.

Here’s another example of why behavioral interviewing questions are valuable. Let’s say your organization places a tremendous importance on customer service. Logically, you will want to ask customer service-related questions during the interview. There are three different ways you can ask the question:

Do you have good customer service skills? This is a closed-ended question. And seriously, who’s gonna say, “My customer service skills stink.”

How would you handle an angry customer? On the surface, a better question than the first one. But a candidate can easily give a textbook answer. The reply doesn’t tell you what the candidate has done.

Tell me about a time when you’ve solved a customer problem. This is a behavioral question. The candidate’s reply will tell you about a specific situation they’ve handled in the past.

Behavioral interview questions can be created for just about any skill or competency. It’s easy to find sample questions on the internet or you can buy books that are filled with questions. Here are a few samples:

At this point, you probably noticed most behavioral interview questions start with “Tell me about a time…”. It’s a great tip for making sure you’re asking the candidate to share something they’ve done in the past.

Speaking of tips, the other thing I’ve learned over the years is not to shy away from getting other people involved in the interviewing process. Many times only the hiring manager or HR handle the process, but I’ve found having candidates talk with their future peers is a good thing. It does take a little explaining on the front end – let candidates know what you’re doing. The benefits are many:

Asking the right questions and getting the right people involved in the hiring process can give the company more insight about the candidate and vice versa. It’s a win for everyone.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Austin, TX

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