The Interview is About Them, Not About You

Employers and hiring managers often focus interview questions solely on skills and experience. A job interview's focus is on the candidate, so you should also inquire about personality, interests and hobbies to truly evaluate if the applicant is an ideal fit for the company. Focus your questions on the person as a whole to determine the best candidate when interviewing job applicants.

The resumes and cover letters of candidates provide you with an overview of their hard skills, but their soft skills that relate to their personality can tell you so much more. Identify interview questions that seek out how candidates approach conflict, inter-office problems, customer troubleshooting and teamwork.

You should also focus on your candidates' work ethic to uncover personality traits, suggests Karen Rehn with CareeRealism. Ask about contributions the interviewee has made to projects in past positions. Inquire about major life and professional achievements. You can also try evaluating enthusiasm during the job interview when assessing if the candidate takes pride in their work and the results that helped to improve productivity or profits for companies.

Allow the job candidate to discuss experiences related to working in teams or collaborating with co-workers on projects or sales. Direct interview questions toward qualities he possesses to meet a deadline with a group or brainstorm ideas for new strategies or marketing efforts. Ask the interviewee about his preferences when working with teams to uncover if the candidate is a dominant member of the group or the type of person who enjoys collaborating, respecting the ideas of others and working toward a common goal.

It is important to identify the skills a candidate possesses that are relevant to the position's duties when asking interview questions, but it is also key to evaluate how the applicant's personality meshes with the mission and goals of the business. Provide common scenarios from your workplace and ask the candidate to detail the best approach. Inquire about how candidates would respond to client and customer problems or complaints. Evaluate the approach of the candidate to determine if you find yourself liking them or if the approach is genuine.

Seek out examples of how candidates have been proactive in past positions. An employee who goes above and beyond should be able to provide specific stories or anecdotes about experiences on the job that required initiative. Focus your interview questions on how the candidate has worked beyond the requirements of a job to stand out from the rest.

Employers and hiring managers must also invite candidates to ask questions during the interview. A prepared job applicant is armed with interview questions about the company's growth, progress and accomplishments based on research completed. Evaluate the candidate's interest and professionalism while answering the questions in an honest and professional manner so that both you and the candidate can determine if the job is a good fit.

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