I’m not sure what interview questions to ask!

Since most people don’t interview candidates on a daily basis, it can be difficult to craft the right questions to ask.

First, it’s most important that you know what questions NOT to ask.  Often, seemingly harmless questions can lead candidates to assume you are discriminating against them.  If your questions could be viewed as having an adverse impact on a protected class (such as religion, age, or gender) you should avoid asking them.  Examples include: Where were you born? Are you married?  When did you graduate high school?  There are often related questions that are legal to ask such as: Are you legal to work in the United States? Are you over 18 years of age? Are there any factors that would make it difficult for you to work our desired schedule?

For questions TO ask, we always recommend using behavioral questions. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior so get your candidates to give you specific examples of how they handled situations. “Tell me about a time when” is a great way to start the question and will get your candidate talking. We want to hear what the person “did do”; not what they “would do.”.  Try to avoid asking questions that can be answered with yes and no.

If you need additional help structuring your interview process, we can help.  Affinity HR Group offers a wide range of headhunting and recruiting services tailored to your needs and budget!

Happy Interviewing!