Better Interview Questions for 2014

Joseph Stubblebine
Posted by in Human Resources


Finding the right employees isn't easy. Over the years, employers have tested a variety of job interview questions to become better acquainted with the people behind the resumes. Because of this, the list of top interview questions changes frequently, and opinions about different types of questions vary drastically. However, having a variety of options allows you to create your own list of top interview questions by choosing those that help you discover whether an applicant possesses the specific traits you're looking for in a new hire.

According to Reuters.com, human resources professionals who use the same scripted job interview questions that have been asked for years are more likely to make poor hiring decisions. Most people know to expect the standard job interview questions and are prepared to answer them. So, instead of getting to know applicants and imagining them fitting into your company, your job becomes trying to separate the genuine people from the performers. By using job interview questions that aren't standard, applicants need to think of answers on the spot, making them more likely to reveal their true skills and personalities.

Recently, Google decided it was time to ditch the brainteasers and concentrate on asking behavioral job interview questions. These are questions that allow you to learn how a person behaves in different situations. For example, if you ask applicants to give you examples of when they solved difficult problems, you'll learn how candidates act in a real-world situations and what type of situations they consider difficult.

In addition to behavioral job interview questions, you should also consider questions that allow you to assess the emotional intelligence of applicants. According to a recent article posted on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website, applicants who answer interview questions designed to shed light on their emotional intelligence honestly are more emotionally mature than those who lie. And, by selecting candidates who are self-aware and have the right education and experiences, you're more likely to hire people who will become leaders in your company.

Ultimately, the type of job interview questions you ask will depend on the position you're trying to fill. It's important to ask questions that tell you how a person behaves in real situations as well as questions that help you gauge an applicant's emotional maturity. However, you also need to make sure that your potential candidate has the skills needed to do the job. If you ask job interview questions that are related to the job and questions that help you assess an applicant's personality, you should be able to choose someone who's a good fit for the position and the company.

 

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

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