7 Best Interview Questions to Ask to Understand Someone’s Character

When hiring for your next employee, their skill set isn’t the only factor to hone in on. Their ability to adapt quickly to your company culture and adapt to their new team is just as important. So, what questions can you ask in the interview to understand whether they really are the right fit or not?

In this article, we’ll uncover some of the best questions to ask candidates in the interviewing process.

1. If your manager asked you to complete a task which seems impossible, how would you go about it?

This question helps evaluate a candidate’s problem-solving skills and their ability to handle challenging tasks. In addition, how they communicate with their manager and the team is a good way to see how they approach a problem.

2. Do you prefer working on your own or in a team, and why?

This question looks into a candidate’s preference for teamwork or independent work, providing insight into their work style and how that can contribute to your current team structure. If the candidate enjoys teamwork, and the company operates mostly on-site, then great! If they prefer working independently, then see how they feel about engaging in more teamwork.

3. What are you passionate about outside of work?

This question can provide insight into a candidate’s aspirations, motivations, and what drives them. What they do outside of work can also signal whether they will be a good fit within the current team.

4. Tell me about a time you had to fill in for a colleague. Were you successful?

This question looks into a candidate’s adaptability to take on occasional, additional tasks and their ability to take on responsibilities outside their usual role. It also investigates how they’d approach a situation like this, including communications with the wider team.

5. If you could change one thing about your personality, what would it be and why?

This question assesses a candidate’s self-awareness and their willingness to improve or adapt and even set goals to achieve these.

6. How do you demonstrate flexibility in your work and with your team?

This question examines a candidate’s ability to adapt and adjust to changes or unexpected situations at work and within their workload.

7. How do you handle criticism, whether it be inside or outside of work?

This question assesses a candidate’s ability to accept feedback, learn from it, and as a result, improve their overall performance.

Things to watch out for

Now we’ve looked into the best questions to ask candidates, and what to look for, let’s dive into some things you should also watch out for.

Very low or high self-esteem – If a candidate struggles to find at least one professional success, they either lack experience or have extremely low self-esteem, which wouldn’t suit the role, particularly if it’s for a senior-level role. If they exaggerate their achievements, however, they could be dishonest or not a team player.

Workaholics – Employees who work super hard aren’t always the best performers. Workaholics who don’t seem to have other interests besides work and prefer to consistently work long hours are prone to toxic behaviours at the workplace and should be avoided when hiring.

Lack of passion – Employees with low enthusiasm or low energy levels are likely not engaged in their work or are passionate about what they do. If you don’t see that spark when a candidate talks about their job, try to understand what motivates them.

Want to know more?

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