11 Questions You Should Be Asking Potential Hires


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6. What did you do to prepare for this interview?

This question gives you a sense of how well the candidate prepares for meetings and how interested they are in your company.  Unlike with many others questions, a candidate can’t really BS an answer here. They either prepared by researching your company (in which case you can ask them follow questions about the articles they read or about your product), or they didn’t prepare.

Bhavin Parikh, Magoosh Inc

7. What are the two bullet points you want to add to your resume in two years?

Asking what bullet points candidates hope to add to their resume gets to the heart of what they want to do. We always look for ambitious answers; but at the same time, we need answers that align with our vision for the company and role. If someone desperately wants to show progress as a sales person, but we only care about operations, then there’s a clear mismatch.

Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches

8. What is your business superpower?

I ask why they want to join my company. Then I ask what their business superpower is. Oprah Winfrey and Richard Branson know this at the drop of a hat. Finally, if the person can’t tell me the latest book or industry report they read, I assume they’re not into continuing education. Readers are leaders. The world moves so fast you can’t stay relevant without being a voracious reader. Audio books work also.

Joshua Lee, StandOut Authority

9. What else do you want to tell me?

If you’ve ever been on the other side of the interview table, then you know that prospects think about what they’re going to say. Of course, interviews rarely go as they anticipate. Still, there’s no reason to miss out on that killer response that was supposed to knock you head over heels. Give them an opportunity to answer that question they’d been hoping for. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Manpreet Singh, talklocal

10. What were the major takeaways from your last position? What did you learn and what would you do differently?

This interview question sheds light into a candidate’s ability to learn and adapt. Potential hires with thoughtful responses are more likely to improve on the job and have a mindset for growth.

Randy Rayess, VenturePact

11. Do you believe in this company? Do we make a difference?

The more belief they have in your company, the harder they will work on its behalf since they will align their personal goals with those of the company. If they think that the company makes a difference in the world, they will buy in more. Not every company provides a clear social impact or benefit, so potential hires should be able to identify how the world benefits from the company’s products or services.

Josh Fuhr, Auditrax


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