While thousands of people may wake up with buyer’s remorse the morning after Black Friday, it’s also true that thousands of employers often experience hiring remorse once they see the true colors of their new employees come Monday morning. Unfortunately they can’t get their money back like overly eager shoppers can and often must foot the bill for both hiring and firing unsuitable candidates. To save yourself and your company the trouble and the expense of a mismatched hire, learn these questions to ask a potential employee in order to help you determine who the best people are for your team.
1. What first interested you about this position? This classic question is staple for a reason. The answer lets you know immediately how much the candidate knows or doesn’t know about your company and how much he really wants to work for you as opposed to other companies.
2. How much money would you leave us for? This question is a sharp-shooter and comes recommended by Inc. columnist Jeff Haden. Look for those answers that reveal the candidate works for more than just money and as long as her needs are taken care of, will stay for the long haul if she enjoys her job.
3. What circumstances in your life have brought you here today? The wording of this question can catch some candidates off guard. Be prepared to hear answers ranging from previous job dissatisfaction to relocation details and financial need. Look for potential negative and positive quality traits in the answers you hear.
4. What’s your favorite TV show or book and why? Salon owner Nancy Nguyen told the editors at YEC (The Young Entrepreneurial Council) that she likes to ask this question to reveal the passion level of her job candidates. If a potential hire can get you excited about what she loves, she can also get her colleagues excited when she loves her job.
5. What would you have liked to do more of in your last position? What held you back? This double-edged question helps you understand the strengths of your potential hire. Following it up with the second question will also help you know if you have what it takes to give him more than his last employer did. On the flip side, the answers to these questions help reveal any bitterness the candidate may have toward his last employer.
6. Has there been a time in your work history when you’ve had to confront someone or give negative feedback? How did you handle it? This line of questioning is an excellent way for you to discover if your job candidate prioritizes communication — even when it’s hard to do.
7. Who is your role model and why? A potential hire who cares deeply about her professional and personal growth will likely have a role model. The answer to this question reveals how dedicated to goal-reaching your job candidate truly is.
8. How would you like to be awarded for a job well done? There’s no better way to discover what motivates a potential employee than to just ask. Keep track of this answer. It will go a long way to help you keep your employees fully engaged and feeling appreciated.
9. How would you describe your role in our company one year from today? Long-sighted team members are essential to meeting long-range goals and the answer to this question reveals just how visionary your job candidate is.
10. What would you do in this scenario? Many jobs require quick action, wise decision-making and creative thinking. Choose a common — or not so common — scenario that has happened in your workplace and ask your candidate to create her own ending. Her response could amaze you in a good or bad way.