What kinds of interview questions should hiring managers ask to land the best hire? Hiring managers want to ask the right questions because they help them determine who the serious candidates are. But interviews can be just as stressful for the interviewers as for job applicants.

Interview questions differ depending on what kind of industry you’re hiring for. But there are some universal, must-ask questions that apply to every field. Whether you’re interviewing in-person or virtually, these 10 interview questions will help you make informed decisions about the candidates in front of you. 

No. 1 – Tell Me About Yourself. 

This is the perfect ice breaker. It’s informal enough to make the candidate start to feel comfortable. The more at ease you are with one another, the more insight you’ll be able to gain into their authentic personality. The secondary goal is to get the candidate to tell you a bit about their career history. This will start to paint a picture in your head, giving you a better idea of the life behind the resume. 

No. 2 – Why Are You Interested in Our Company? 

This question doesn’t pull any punches. Asking it will help you quickly discover which candidates are serious and which aren’t. The serious ones will have done their homework. They will know the type of business you engage in. They will understand your mission and will tell you why they believe it’s a fit.

No. 3 – Why Are You Interested in this Position? 

The best potential hires will have done research into the role they’re applying for, as well. They will have read and really thought about the job description. So this question can help you gauge their interest and enthusiasm for the position. You want your next best hire to be someone who’s going to excel in their new role and stick around. 

No. 4 – What Strengths and Skills Can You Bring to this Role? 

Here’s a question that will tell you something important. Did the candidate apply because they thought their skills and strengths would make them a good fit? A potential hire should be able to tell you exactly what strengths and skills make them the most qualified person for the job. Applicants need to think critically and show that they want to become a valued member of your team. 

No. 5 – Can You Tell Me About Your Current or Most Recent Job?

This is an open-ended question that allows you to test a candidate’s communication skills. Having them go into detail about their current or most recent job also gives you more information about what they are like beyond their resume. What has this job taught them? How has it prepared them for the role they are applying for? Why are they leaving? By asking this one simple question, you can learn whether this person will be your next best hire. 

No. 6 – Do You Work Best Solo or As Part of a Team?

This question really depends on the type of work the candidate will be doing if hired. Will it involve long stretches of heavy solo work? Or will it be work that relies on collaboration? There’s no wrong way for a candidate to answer this question. The idea here is to understand how the candidate prefers to work. This will help you determine if the role you’re hiring for is a good fit or not. 

No. 7 – Describe How You Deal with Conflict in the Workplace. 

The goal of this question is to understand a candidate’s conflict resolution skills. Ideally, they’ll answer with a story about how they successfully navigated a disagreement at work. This could have been with a supervisor, manager, or co-worker. If a candidate is able to display an understanding of emotional intelligence, you’ll know they’d be a good asset for your team. 

No. 8 – Tell Me About a Time You Failed. 

Everyone fails. Candidates who are open about their failures show a willingness to learn from their struggles. Remember, not all failures are caused by mistakes. Sometimes, we can do our best and still fall short. It’s important to know how a candidate will handle these moments. How they handle failure shows their true character. 

No. 9 – How Do You Manage Deadline Pressure? 

There are going to be times when an employee needs to meet tight deadlines. Knowing how they handle that kind of pressure is important. See if they have any examples from their current or former jobs. Did they manage that pressure successfully? What did that look like? Did they fall short even though they did their best? How did they handle that? The answers to these questions will also give you insight into how the candidate prioritizes their responsibilities. 

No. 10 – Do You Have Any Questions for Me? 

This is a great way to wrap up an interview. Serious candidates will usually have questions they’ve prepared in advance. For instance, they may want to know more about your development programs or company culture. The questions a candidate asks will give you more insight into their priorities and personality. However, there is also the chance you’ve naturally answered several of their questions during the course of your interview. If that’s the case, don’t be shocked if they don’t have a long list left at the end. 

Ready to find your next best hire? Look no further than the candidates at Masiello Employment Services! We have a host of excellent local job seekers ready to interview for your open position. All you need to do is call (603) 358 1000 to find the best hires in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.