1. What
to
Ask

2. Select your Questions in Advance
• Don’t just simply rely on a job description or
resume to structure the interview
• You will get much better information if you
carefully pre-select question
Icebreakers
Culture-fit Questions
Behavioral Questions
Traditional Questions
Situational Questions

3. What to Ask: Icebreakers
• Used to build rapport and set
candidates at ease before beginning the
formal interview
• Examples:
– Did you have any trouble finding our place?
– Before we start, would you like a glass of
water?
– Tell me about yourself

4. What to Ask: Traditional Questions
• These are questions that allow you to gather
information about a candidate and their
experience
• Because these questions are asked often, many
candidates will have answers prepared for them
(can be used to help candidates feel at ease)
• Example:
– What are your experiences that are related to this
position?

5. What to Ask: Situational Questions
• Ask candidates what they would
do in a specific situation relevant
to the job at hand.
• Helps you understand a
candidate’s thought process
• Examples:
– How would you deal with an irate
customer?
– How would you deal with stress on
the job?

6. What to Ask: Culture-fit Questions
• These will help you select
candidates who are motivated and
suited to perform well in the
unique environment of the
organization
• Examples:
– Describe the work environment or
culture in which you are most
productive and happy
– What are the characteristics
exhibited by the best boss you have
ever had?
– What management style will bring
forth your best work and efforts?

7. What to Ask: Behavioral Questions
• Requires candidates to share a specific example
from their past experience
• Each complete answer from a candidate should
be in the form of SAR response
– Situation, Action, Result
• Examples:
– Tell me about a time you had to manage multiple
tasks
– Give an example of a goal you reached in the past,
and tell me how you achieved it

8. Behavioral Based Interviewing
Because past behavior is
the best predictor of
future performance!
Look for answers which demonstrate that a
particular positive behavior is long-standing

9. Behavioral Based Interviewing
Oftentimes, you may find it necessary to follow up
behavioral questions with probing, or mirror questions
• Probing Questions: Brief statements or words
that urge an interviewee to continue or elaborate
on a response EX: “Go on,” “What else?”
• Mirror Questions: Paraphrase an interviewee’s
previous response to ensure clarification and
elicit elaboration EX: “From what you said, it seems like….”

10. Putting YOU in the hot seat
• At the end of any interview, it is
important to ask the candidate if
there are any questions they have
for you, the interviewer
• Because of this, you want to make
sure you are informed as possible
about the position and the
company
• If there are any questions you are
unsure of, explain to the
candidate that you will look into
the question and get back to them
with an answer

11. Final Thoughts on Interview Questions
• Not all questions will be applicable to every situation
• Choose questions that fit the position.
• When interviewing multiple candidates for a position, it is
important to use the same criteria for evaluating each candidate
so as to avoid legal problems.
– The key is to be consistent and fair with all candidates (i.e., show no favoritism
or discrimination).
– Use an interviewing guideline of core criteria/qualifications that is applicable
to all candidates for the position.
• Many of these questions do not have a “right” or “wrong”
answer.
• After you have selected the questions that are appropriate to
use, give some thought to the answers that make sense given
your organization, culture and the priorities of the position.