There are some standard interview questions that we’re all familiar with. ‘What are your strengths… where do you see yourself in five years… why do you want to work here?’ etc. are all typical interview fodder that nearly all applicants feel equipped to answer. However if you really want to find out more about a candidate’s personality and assess their skills and cultural fit, then why not include a few questions from the list below…
- If you could be any character from fiction, whom would you be?
- In the news story of your life, what would the headline say?
- Describe a complex problem you had to solve and walk me through your thinking as you solved it
- If you were a car, what type would you be?
- Tell me about a creative solution you developed for a challenging situation or problem
- If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs – such as food and water – were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?
- If you could compare yourself with any animal, which would it be and why?
- What is the most stressful situation you have handled and what was the outcome?
- If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be?
- How would your current boss or team member describe you? What would he/she say are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- Describe a situation in which you aspired to reach a goal. What obstacles did you confront along the way? What did you do to overcome them?
- If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?
- If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?
- If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be and why?
- If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what two items would you have with you?
- If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you want?
- What’s the one thing you would change about your career?
- If you had only six months left to live, what would you do with the time?
- Firstly, have a good mix of traditional and unusual questions to make sure you’ve covered the basics
- Fun question? Then say it with a smile so the candidate knows it’s light-hearted
- Avoid any embarrassing questions (see below!)
- Finally, remember to change your questions based on the different answers you receive
Plus, five interview questions you should never ask a candidate…
Where do you live?This could be cause for discrimination. Instead, phrase the question as: ‘Are you comfortable with our location?’ to ensure that commuting will not be an issue. Be sure to mention any commuting benefits like subsidised train tickets, free parking etc.
What country are you from?This information is irrelevant. Instead ask: ‘Are you authorised to work in (insert country)?’
Are you married? Do you have kids you’ll have to pick up early from school each day?A person’s familial status is none of your business. Focus on their qualifications for the role.
Who did you vote for?Political preferences should never be discussed in an interview. Ever.
Have you ever been convicted of a crime?You can find out this information with a background check.
