The Top 15 Interview Questions to Ask Job Candidates

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It’s time to fill that vacancy on your team, and the pressure is on to find a job candidate with all the skills and professional experience you need. But can you determine that — and more — from just an interview? It’s possible if you pose smart queries.

Whether you’re meeting virtually or in person, you need to prepare thoroughly as an interviewer. You should ask questions that will help you gauge an applicant’s interest in the job and company, enlighten you about their work history and career plans, shed light on their values and work habits, and reveal their strengths, weaknesses, knowledge and skills.

Of course, you’ll also want to ask questions specific to the role you’re looking to fill. There are also other types of interview questions that help you dig deeper, such as close-ended and open-ended interview questions.

But with these questions for an interview, you should be able to get a good sense of whether this potential employee could be a successful member of your team. So, let’s jump in with 15 of the best questions to ask an interviewee, and why.

1. What do you know about our company, and why do you want to work here?

You’d think with the easy access to information online today, most candidates would do their homework, but that’s not always the case. Some applicants may not even know what type of business the company engages in. Ask this interview question, and you’ll quickly discover who is sincerely interested in working for you — and who isn’t.

2. What skills and strengths can you bring to this position?

Did the interviewee blindly apply to your opening, or did they consider how they match your needs? This question can help you find out. Applicants should be able to think critically about how their abilities will benefit your unique team.

3. Can you tell me about your current job?

This is a great open-ended question to ask a potential employee that can help you evaluate communication skills while gaining insights into an individual’s background that goes beyond the resume.

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4. What could your current company do to be more successful?

This inquiry can give you a sense of whether interviewees see the big picture at their organizations. It may also reveal why they really want to leave their current jobs.

5. Can you tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with a boss or colleague and how you handled the situation?

This is one of the best questions to ask an interviewee because you’ll get a sense of their conflict resolution abilities. What tone does the person use when talking about the other people involved? Were they able to handle the situation described appropriately? Did they find common ground? Emotional intelligence is keenly needed in almost every job.

6. Do you work best alone or on a team?

What kind of work will the candidate perform if selected for the position? This question helps determine if they’re suited to the types of assignments they’ll receive. Regardless of whether they’ll work remotely or in the office, someone who enjoys solitary work and long stretches of uninterrupted time may not thrive in a position requiring collaboration or multitasking.

7. Why are you leaving your current job?

Does your job opportunity provide an alternative to the factors (lack of professional development, management problems, etc.) that made them unhappy in their current role? If so, showcase those benefits. But keep an eye out for candidates with unrealistic expectations.

8. How would your coworkers describe you?

This top question to ask an interviewee can help shed light on the candidate’s soft skills and how they might work with the other members of your team. Understand the strengths of your current staff members and be on the lookout for a candidate who will complement those.

9. How would your boss describe you?

This may give you a sense of the candidate’s relationship with previous managers. Reliable? Prompt? Efficient? Keep in mind, though, who you’re asking. The answer will be simply their opinion of what the boss might have said. That’s why it’s still critical to check references. Request a list of contacts and give former employers a call to hear how their impressions align with the candidate’s.

10. Where do you see yourself in five years?

A job candidate with professional drive can be a valuable asset to your organization. Look for someone engaged in their career with clear goals, and consider mentioning how your organization can help them achieve those objectives. Finding a prospect who is interested in career advancement and sees opportunity with your company increases the chances that they’ll be happy in the long run.

11. How do you manage deadline pressure?

Technology projects often have very tight deadlines. So, asking your potential hire how well they perform under pressure can be worthwhile. Try to dig a little deeper by encouraging the candidate to offer an example of what they have done in the past to ensure a project stayed on deadline when it looked like it might miss the mark. Or, if the candidate could not meet a critical deadline despite their best efforts, how did they handle it?

12. In your most recent role, was there a time when you had to overcome a significant challenge?

Use this question to get a sense of an interviewee’s critical thinking and analytical skills. You should also pay attention to how the candidate describes their behavior when faced with a challenge. Did they struggle, or did they devise an action plan and see it through?

13. What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on in a past position?

Ask this interview question to determine if the applicant would likely enjoy the work available at your company. Do the types of tasks they find fulfilling align with the job description for your position? Making sure employees find their work professionally satisfying is one of the most important factors in retention.

14. What’s one fact that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?

Here’s another open-ended question to ask an interviewee that can help you uncover some interesting insights. It could spark some conversation about a hobby outside of the candidate’s 9-to-5 life or even a compelling story that reveals more about their strengths and motivations. This question can help you understand not just what a job candidate has done, but why.

15. Do you have any questions for me?

This question typically wraps up the interview. The most serious candidates will likely have a few relevant questions prepared to ask a hiring manager. However, the candidate may have already asked their questions if the discussion was long and detailed. In a case like this, it’s OK if a candidate doesn’t have a list of questions at the end of the interview.