Introduction

As a hiring manager, your job is to find the best candidate for the position. But, how do you determine who the best candidate is? By asking the right questions. In this guide, we'll cover the most important interview questions to ask and provide tips on how to ask them effectively. These questions will help you gain insight into the candidate's qualifications, skills, and experience.

Behavioral Questions

Behavioral questions are used to gain insight into how the candidate has handled similar situations in the past. These questions typically begin with "Can you tell me about a time when…" or "Describe a situation where…" Examples of behavioral questions include:

• Can you tell me about a time when you had to work on a team project?

• Describe a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem.

Technical Questions

Technical questions are used to assess the candidate's knowledge and experience in a specific area. These questions will vary depending on the position you're hiring for, but they should always be specific and relevant to the job. Examples of technical questions include:

• What programming languages are you proficient in?

• Can you explain how you would troubleshoot a network problem?

Motivational Questions

Motivational questions are used to gain insight into the candidate's goals and aspirations. These questions can help you determine if the candidate is a good fit for the company culture and if they have a passion for the industry. Examples of motivational questions include:

• Why do you want to work for our company?

• What are your long-term career goals?

Situational Questions

Situational questions are used to assess how the candidate might handle a specific situation on the job. These questions typically begin with "How would you handle…?" Examples of situational questions include:

• How would you handle a difficult customer?

• How would you handle a team member who is consistently underperforming?

Hypothetical Questions

Hypothetical questions are used to assess the candidate's problem-solving skills and ability to think on their feet. These questions typically begin with "If you were in a situation where…" or "What would you do if…" Examples of hypothetical questions include:

• If you were in a situation where a team member was not meeting deadlines, what would you do?

• What would you do if you discovered a security vulnerability in a piece of software you were working on?

Cultural Fit Questions

Cultural fit questions are used to assess how well the candidate will fit into the company culture. These questions should be specific to the company and its values. Examples of cultural fit questions include:

• What do you know about our company culture?

• How do you believe your values align with ours?

Experience-Based Questions

Experience-based questions are used to assess the candidate's qualifications and experience. These questions should be specific to the job and the candidate's resume. Examples of experience-based questions include:

• Can you tell me about your experience with [specific skill or technology]?

• Can you give me an example of a project you led and the results you achieved?

Role-Specific Questions

Role-specific questions are used to assess the candidate's understanding and experience in the specific role they are applying for. These questions should be tailored to the position and the responsibilities it entails. Examples of role-specific questions include:

• How do you approach [specific task or responsibility]?

• Can you give an example of a successful project you have managed in a similar role?

Competency-Based Questions

Competency-based questions are used to assess the candidate's skills and abilities in specific areas such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving. These questions should be specific and relevant to the job. Examples of competency-based questions include:

• Can you give an example of a time when you had to lead a team to achieve a goal?

• How do you handle difficult or conflicting situations?

Brainteaser Questions

Brainteaser questions are used to assess the candidate's problem-solving skills and ability to think outside the box. These questions can be tricky and may not have a straightforward answer. Examples of brainteaser questions include:

• How would you go about organizing a library of books?

• If you were a superhero, what powers would you have and why?

Follow-up Questions

Follow-up questions are used to gain more information and clarification on a specific answer or topic. These questions should be specific and relevant to the previous answer. Examples of follow-up questions include:

• Can you give more details about that specific project you mentioned?

• How did you handle a specific situation in your previous job?

Conclusion

As a hiring manager, it's important to ask the right questions to ensure you're making the best decision for your company. The questions outlined in this guide will help you gain insight into the candidate's qualifications, skills, and experience. Remember to tailor your questions to the specific position and to always follow up for more information and clarification. By asking the right questions and assessing the answers, you'll be able to find the perfect candidate for the job.

How Hume Can Help

Hume is an interview intelligence platform that can greatly enhance the interview process for hiring teams. It records, transcribes and summarizes interviews, allowing teams to unlock valuable insights and make more informed hiring decisions.

One of the key benefits of using Hume is the ability to access more objective data. The platform's transcription and summary features provide a written record of the interview, allowing teams to review and analyze the candidate's responses at their convenience. This can also help to reduce bias, as team members can review the interview independently, rather than relying on their own recollection of the conversation.

Another benefit of using Hume is the ability to train interviewers to perform better. The platform allows teams to review and analyze past interviews, identifying areas for improvement and providing feedback to interviewers. This can help to ensure that all interviewers are asking the same consistent set of questions and evaluating responses in a fair and objective manner.

In addition, Hume allows teams to move faster in their hiring process by automating the transcription and summarization process, reducing the need for manual notes taking and allowing teams to focus on analyzing the data and making informed decisions.

Overall, incorporating Hume into the interview process can greatly enhance the ability of hiring teams to make informed and objective hiring decisions.