When interviewing candidates for your open positions, it is always a good idea to outline your interview questions beforehand. While free-form interviews can be beneficial, you don’t want to allow an interview to get off track. Additionally, preparing questions ahead of time gives you some time to practice how you’ll handle each question. If you need some inspiration for questions during your preparation, we’ve made a list for you.

What skills can you bring to this position?

This gives the candidate an opportunity to showcase why they think they make a good fit for the position in specific ways. It may also clue you into whether or not they applied for the job on a whim or carefully thought about their skills and strengths.

Do you think you work best alone or on a team?

Depending on the position they applied for, their answer can mean the difference. A solo worker who applies for a team-player position likely won’t survive the job very long. An individual who craves human interaction likewise won’t last long in a solitary position. If your interviewee answers in opposition to the demands of the job, it may be best to consider someone else who fits the description better.

What is your ideal work environment?

Asking this question will be able to help you understand whether or not the candidate makes a good fit for your company, not just the position. A candidate who enjoys solidarity and a closed-off working space probably will not enjoy working in an open-floor warehouse or office.

Have you ever had to deal with workplace conflict? Can you tell me about it?

Asking the candidate about conflict allows you to learn about their conflict-resolution skills. Conflict resolution is an important trait of any worker. Being able to calmly resolve problems between co-workers means that they will be easier to get along with as well as more receptive to commentary. You likely don’t want someone who will be disruptive and argumentative with your other employees.

Can you describe any significant challenges you’ve had to overcome?

The candidate’s answer will give you a window into their problem-solving process. It gives you the chance to understand how they go about creatively solving complex issues as well as how they deal with challenges. Some people procrastinate or run and hide from challenges they don’t think they can face. The interviewee should be able to tell you everything you need to know about this specific instance.