25 Good Interview Questions….and 8 to Avoid

When preparing to interview job candidates, it’s important for supervisors to plan out their lines of questioning. Decide which skills are most important for the particular position, then focus your questions on assessing those skills. Here are some sample questions to work from:

Employment History

1. If you had to evaluate your performance in your present job on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you grade yourself and why?
2. What skills have you acquired in your present job that make you the right candidate for this job?
3. Describe a recent event in your job that really challenged your capabilities.
4. Why do you want to leave your present job?
5. What have you heard about our company that leads you to believe you would like to work here?

Communications

1. Are you more comfortable working on a team or on your own?
2. What types of people do you find difficult to work with?
3. How often do you like to meet with your supervisor?
4. If you had an idea for a new project, how would you communicate it to your co-workers and supervisors and get it approved?
5. Describe what you consider to be the perfect boss.

Organization

1. How do you go about planning your schedule for the day?
2. How do you relieve stress at work?
3. What tasks in your present job do you consider to be a waste of time?
4. Do you consider yourself efficient? Why?
5. If you were given a long-term project, how would you approach the work?

Motivation

1. Tell me about a situation where you really blew it. How did you handle it? What did you learn?
2. What motivates you to do your best?
3. Think of a major accomplishment you had in your present job. What aspect did you find most satisfying?
4. If you could buy any skill that you don’t possess, what would it be?
5. What tactics should a supervisor use to get the best out of you?

Managerial

1. What qualities do you possess that would make you a good manager?
2. Tell me about the best manager you ever had and what you learned from that person.
3. Tell me about your worst manager and what you learned from that person.
4. How do you create an environment that fosters teamwork?
5. How would you handle a conflict between your employees?

7 questions to NEVER ask…

1. Are you married? Divorced?
2. How old are you?
3. Do you have (or plan to have) children?
4. Do you own or rent your home?
5. What church do you attend?
6. Do you belong to any social or political groups?
7. Do you suffer from a disability?