Filling an open position on your team is hard work. There’s a lot of qualified candidates searching for jobs hiring in Reading, PA and the surrounding Lehigh Valley, but a skills fit isn’t the only thing that matters.
You can certainly learn a lot about a candidate from their resume, but a job interview is a time to dig deeper. By this point, it’s clear the person has the skills and experience to do the job, so now you need to gauge their fit.
These four questions to ask in a job interview will help you decide if the candidate is the right person for your team.
What excites you most about the position?
Hiring someone who is capable of doing the job isn’t enough. You need a candidate who truly wants to do the job, because they’ll come to work each day ready to give 110%. Not only do passionate candidates work harder, they’re also more likely to have a longer tenure with your company.
The candidate’s response will immediately clue you in on their true interest in the job. If they can easily rattle off several reasons they’re excited about the position, feel confident they’re interested for the right reasons. However, if they have trouble articulating their motive for applying, there’s a good chance they’re just chasing a paycheck.
Describe your ideal work environment.
A person might have all the right skills on paper, but if their work style doesn’t mesh with your culture, they won’t last. For example, someone who prefers a quiet work environment won’t thrive in a noisy open floorplan. It’s much better to know this now, than to have to replace the person shortly after they come on board.
What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on at your current job?
Learning what kind of work the candidate finds professionally fulfilling will help you gauge their fit for the job. If they’ll be able to complete the type of projects they enjoy the most in the job at hand, they’re probably a good choice. Conversely, if the work they’re most passionate about doesn’t fall under the job description, it’s probably best to move on to the next candidate.
Tell me about your favorite and least favorite supervisor.
Learning a bit about the candidate’s former bosses can be telling in more ways than one. Details on what they liked and disliked about previous supervisors will help you decide if your management style aligns with their personality.
You can also learn a lot about their demeanor by how they speak about previous employers. Do realize, if hired, candidates who say anything even remotely disrespectful will likely do the same to you one day.
Finding the right new hire is hard work, so ease the pressure by partnering with HTSS, Inc. Get in touch today to choose the best person for your Lehigh Valley team every time!