These 7 Interview Questions Will Help You Hire The Best Candidate For The Job

Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2020 by Bluestream RecruitmentNo comments

The cost of a bad hire has repercussions beyond the immediate financial loss, including negative impact on team performance and morale, disruption to incomplete projects and weakened employer brand.

When feeling pressured to fill a role quickly, it’s tempting to rush through the interview process however it’s crucial that you take the time to ask the right questions to ensure the candidates will be the right fit for the role and your company.

We’ve put together a list of 7 questions you should ask in every interview to help you decide if the candidate is going to be your next employee.


  1. Why did you leave your last job?

    Candidates that trip up on this question may be trying to hide something negative.
    A prepared candidate will be able to demonstrate that they are leaving for a better opportunity, on good terms and voluntarily (unless made redundant). The interviewee’s ability to show respect for their previous employer and workplace, whilst explaining why they want to move on, is a good indicator of their professionalism.

  2. What made you want to apply for this position?

    A candidate’s answer to this question will show if they’ve done their research and truly understand the role and your company. A good response will include their knowledge of your business and the role and how their goals and values are aligned with it.

  3. What one skill would you like to improve and what’s your plan for doing so?

    This rewording of the ‘greatest weakness’ question can be a good indicator of a candidate's personality. A candidate who isn’t forthcoming with their weaknesses may lack self-awareness, is resistant to self-critique or is being deliberating deceptive. None these are appealing attributes and you should probably think twice about hiring an individual who isn’t able to give a straightforward and honest response.

  4. Tell me something about yourself that isn't on your CV

    There are several ways to answer this open-ended question and a good candidate will use the opportunity to share a strength they possess that isn’t obvious on their CV, such as charity work they carry out, a specific work project that was successful or a hobby that reflects a key attribute required for the job. The important thing is they keep their response relevant to the role they are applying for.

  5. If hired, what is the first thing you would tackle in this position?

    A considered, enthusiatic response to this question will not only show they’ve done their research about your company and the role they are applying for but also their eagerness to get the job which are all good signs!

  6. Tell me about a time that you had a conflict with someone at work. How did you handle it?

    This question will give you a good insight into a candidate’s conflict management ability and general interpersonal skills. A passive response can be equally acceptable to a confrontational one, depending on the position they are applying for and the context given in their example. Whatever approach they use, the most important factor is their ability to deal with the conflict professionally.

  7. Do you have any questions?

    Many candidates can fall at this last hurdle to their own detriment. A well-prepared candidate will have a few go-to questions that will let you know they've put some thought into joining your organisation. Not asking anything may indicate a candidate might not be sufficiently interested the role and might not be taking the job opportunity very seriously.
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