Return To Blog Index- Ask the candidate why they want to work for your organisation and why they want this role – you might get a stock standard answer to this one, but the candidate’s responses may also show you if they are genuinely interested in working both for your organisation and in this particular position. You may find that the candidate has not researched your organisation or the role. You want to recruit someone who cares enough about getting this job to have done their homework before the interview. Beware of candidates who can tell you why they want to work for your organisation but not why they are passionate about the job you are offering. They may only want a foot in the door to their preferred job, leaving you looking for someone else very soon.
- Ask the candidate why they are thinking about leaving their current role – answers to this question often give you insight into the real person, not just the interview persona. Look out for complaints about the boss’s management skills or dissatisfaction with the team. This could be an indicator of poor interpersonal or team skills. Remember that you are the next boss. Do you want an employee who is prepared to criticise you at their next interview?
- Hone in on vague and general responses to your questions – when a candidate gives very vague responses to your questions, ask further probing questions such as “what did you do then?”, “what was your role in this example?” or “can you provide us with some more detail about the situation?”. By probing further you will readily see whether a candidate is providing you with genuine evidence of their skills and abilities or whether they have embellished their role in a situation.
