How to Write Good Interview Questions
For you as an employer, the bottom line in every interview comes down to deciding whether an applicant is the best person for the job. Determining the answer to that dilemma is greatly dependent on what the candidate has to say. However, if the interview questions aren't carefully crafted, you may leave the interview with no clear indication of whether the candidate should be given the job. You need to be as well prepared to ask questions as the candidate is to answer them.
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Instructions
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1
Create a one-sentence summary for yourself that clearly states what you want to know most as a result of the interview. For example, you might say "I want to know if this is a candidate who is in it for the long run and not just looking for a stepping stone to the next position somewhere else." Or, you might simply want to know if the candidate can do the job: "I need to know if this individual has the capability to carry out the requirements of this position." If the position is a high-stress one, that sentence might be something like the following: "I want to find out if this candidate can deal with the inherent stress of this position."
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2
Write questions that both generally and specifically address your most significant concern as stated in Step One. For example, if you are most concerned with whether the candidate can do the job, create questions that give sample scenarios and ask the candidate to respond with a detailed answer. If you want to know how the candidate is able to handle stress of the job, ask questions about stress in previous jobs and what strategies he uses to cope with stress. Rather than concentrating questions about your main concern in one part of the interview, spread them through the interview.
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3
Come up with questions that give the candidate the opportunity to talk about herself and have follow-up questions that require more specific answers. For example, in his book, "96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire," Paul Falcone suggests that a person who defines herself as a hard worker should be asked how the hard work she did in her previous job paid off in the quality of the work product. If a candidate says he is conscientious, ask him to relate an experience in which he would have failed his company had he not been conscientious.
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4
Create questions that determine what the candidate knows about the field of work and your company in particular. For example, you might want to ask how he first got interested in the field, how it met---or didn't meet--his expectations and what rewards and disappointments he has encountered. Come up with some specific questions about the field using specific terminology. Ask the candidate to comment on your website, the size of the company and what interests him about this company in particular. You might also want to include a question about where the candidate sees the company---and his role in it---in five or 10 years.
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5
Write wrap-up questions that review your major concern, stated in a slightly different manner. For example, you might use specifics. For example, earlier in the interview, you asked about how the candidate handles stress, and now you might present an actual-case stressful scenario that one of your employees is currently dealing with and ask for advice on how she would handle it. If it sounds, by the end of the interview, that you might be interested in hiring the individual, you might simply say something like: "My major concern in hiring someone for this position is (state the concern); how can you reassure me on this point?"
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