Finding the right candidate can be a challenging exercise. Determining whether a candidate is suitable for a position is as much an art as it is a science.
Recruiting organisations can learn more about an applicant's motivation and personality by following the approaches outlined below. Top businesses frequently use screening procedures similar to these in order to find out what drives an applicant, why they quit their last job, and if their company is a good fit for the applicant’s career goals.
The purpose of behavioural screening questions is to ascertain whether a candidate possesses the qualities required for a specific position. They also reveal a candidate's attitude towards change and adaptability. A candidate's character and work ethic can be revealed by the right behavioural screening questions. It is important to structure these questions so that they do not lead the candidate (or are illegal under local law).
Examples of behavioural screening questions:
a. Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.
b. How do you handle a challenge? Give an example.
c. Have you ever made a mistake? How did you handle it?
d. Provide an example of how you worked in a team.
e. What do you do if you disagree with someone at work?
One of the most crucial soft skills that companies should look for in candidates is adaptability. According to 69% of hiring managers[1], this is essential in the current economy, and it is critical for businesses to hire people who are willing to change with the times. Asking the candidate to describe a situation in which they had to adjust to a novel concept, piece of technology, or system is a good way to gauge how adaptable they are.
When evaluating a candidate's adaptability, it is helpful to find out if they can manage change and are comfortable working in ambiguous environments. In the workplace, mistakes are unavoidable and can occur for a variety of reasons. It's crucial to observe how they respond to these errors and take lessons from them.
Exploring a candidate’s long-term objectives can identify if the interviewee has a strong desire for professional development. This can help determine how adaptable and well-suited they are to your company's culture. Ask them about their preferred working environment in addition to these objectives.
Examples of adaptability questions:
a. Would you describe yourself as someone who can adapt to different work environments?
b. Tell me about a time you had to learn a new task at work. How did you improve your learning speed?
c. What are some challenges that you have come across when starting a new job?
d. When taking on a new project or task, how do you continue to stay motivated?
e. Tell me about a time when someone asked you to do something outside of your job description.
[1] Marcus Donald Ltd
The ability to communicate effectively is vital in the current work environment, particularly as more people work remotely. Good communication remains an essential element of sales and customer service positions. Asking the right questions will allow candidates to demonstrate whether or not they possess effective communication skills in all contexts. For instance, a candidate that does not have strong language comprehension will likely find it more difficult to interact with customers and co-workers.
Examples of communication questions:
a. Describe a situation in which you had to resolve a dispute.
b. Do you work well with other people?
c. How would you go about explaining a complex idea/problem to a client who was already frustrated?
d. Do you prefer written or verbal communication?
e. In your past experience, how did you communicate with a challenging supervisor?
During the hiring process, it’s important to discover a candidate’s professional goals. This is a great way of determining how they feel about their future and the workplace culture. It also allows the organisation to determine whether a candidate has a good chance of progressing within the organisation and picking up new abilities. And it will help determine whether they have any needs or interests that should be considered. Candidates frequently refer to their professional goals as objectives they hope to accomplish in the future. With this kind of information, the recruiter can better tailor each candidate's career path.
Examples of professional goals questions:
a. What would you like to learn more about in your field of expertise?
b. What knowledge or skills would help you be more effective in your current position?
c. How do you set and achieve your career goals?
d. What would getting this job mean to you? (e.g., professionally and personally)
e. What are your career goals?
During interviews, avoid asking certain questions to potential employees. Questions about race, age, religion, and other classifications are among the subjects that fall under this category. Focus on the position-specific talents required. For example, if you wish to hire bilingual staff, you can inquire about their Spanish fluency, but you shouldn't inquire about their ethnicity. Screening questions relating to protected classes might assist you in identifying the applicants who are the best fit to your organisation. However, tread carefully, these queries must be unbiased and truthful.