What questions do I ask in an interview?
Mike Hollywood
Last Update 4 months ago
The questions you ask will vary based on the intention of the interview itself. For example, the questions in a Screening interview will be different than the questions asked in a Decision Round interview, simply because our goals for each round are very different.
That said, with Structured Interviewing, you will be following defined interview templates for each round that should be consistent across candidates. We've provided your organization with the Standard HireBest templates for screening interviews, first round interviews, decision round interviews and reference interviews. You are free to duplicate these templates and modify as you see fit, or to create new templates that better suit your needs.
Our Decision Round Template follows a defined structure that will enable you to obtain valuable data from the candidate. When followed consistently, you'll find that interviewing becomes both more fruitful and a lot easier!
At the core, our approach groups the questions you will ask into seven primary buckets:
Origination of Role
Questions:
1. How come you took the job?You'll Learn:
Their motivation and fit for your role
Overall thoughtfulness and goal orientation
Endorsement by former bosses/peers/mentors
Definition of Success
Questions:
2. What was the mission you were hired to achieve?3. What metrics were used to measure your performance?
You'll Learn:
- Get a sense of the size of the job. Does it align with the role they are applying for?
- Growth expectations
Performance on Success Criteria
Questions:
4. How did you perform on those metrics?
5. What were your top 3 accomplishments in this role?
You'll Learn:
- Success at hitting targets and expectations
- The details of how they were successful
- What they see as their top strengths
Biggest Mistakes
Questions:
6. Going back in time, what would you re-do if given the chance?7. With 20/20 hindsight, what were the top 3 mistakes you made in this role?You'll Learn:
- Self-awareness and critical reflection skills
- Ability to learn from mistakes and change behavior
- Tactical mistakes that may relate to this role
Managerial Performance
Questions:
8. What direct reports did you hire/fire in this role, and how would you rate each on a 1-10 scale?9. What was your managerial approach on that team?
You'll Learn:
- Size and scope of their managerial responsibilities
- Strength in hiring, firing, and developing employees
- Management style and followership
Questions:
10. Who was your direct manager in this role?
11. When we contact them, what will s/he praise about your performance and who you were back then?12. Similarly, what will s/he critique about your performance?
13. Overall, how will s/he rate you on a 1-10 scale?
You'll Learn:
- Feedback they’ve gotten from bosses
- Insight into potential references
- Relationship with bosses
Reason for Leaving
Questions:
14. How come you left?15. How did the company take it?
You'll Learn:
- Their motivation for leaving the role
- If it was their decision or if they were forced out
- Positive or negative reactions to their departure