HIRING STRATEGIES - THE CRITICAL INTERVIEWING ISSUES

What type of questions provide the most critical information about a candidate during an interview? Emerson Personnel Group recommends the following questions to help you determine a candidate's overall qualifications.

Technical Skills

First, ask a specific "closed-ended" question about the candidate's general experience within a desired skill area. Then, immediately follow that question with an "open-ended" question to allow the candidate to elaborate on a specific skill of particular interest to your firm. Example:

"Do you have skills in programming?" (Person responds.) "Tell me what you did using 'x' language (a skill set you seek)?" "how would your references rate your technical competence?"

Repeat this process for each technical skill you wish to probe.

To more thoroughly understand the quantity and quality of each candidates' technical skills, you should make sure to determine the number of years of experience, along with the level of involvements and competency.

Functional Skills

• What are your responsibilities?
• What do you feel you can learn from this position?
• What are your greatest strengths? / Weaknesses?

Personal Outlook

• Where do you see yourself in five years? In ten years?
• What interests you about working with our firm?
• Why did you leave each of the former positions you've held?
• What did you learn from each position you've held?
• What do you expect to learn from this job you may not be currently learning?

Contribution

• What are your greatest strengths? Your weaknesses?
• What are you most proud of in your career?
• What obstacles have you encountered in your career and what steps did you take to overcome them?
• What do you feel you could bring to this position that you would like me to know about?
• What recommendations do you have on how your current organization could improve, save costs, etc.