29 Interview Questions To Ask Your Next Hire

Last week I posted about my hiring process for bringing on a new marketing intern for my company (How To Hire An All-Star Intern). I also put a note in my newsletter asking for your favorite interview questions and I received quite a response!

It’s Thanksgiving in America and I’m truly grateful for everyone who took time out of their day to write to me with their favorite interview question. I thought I would share some of the responses with you for the next time you are hiring:

“Why should you choose them over another candidate?” – Chrystine Collie

“What are the top three companies you find most challenging to compete against?” – Brian Guest, mediacation.ca

“Provide a best, acceptable and worst case scenario of your typical workweek and throw in some unusual tasks and a few critical deadlines, then ask your candidates to make a priority list and pick which tasks they would ask an extension on (assuming the best would answer they would take some work home and over the week-end…)” – Marie-Piere Belisle-Kennedy, 5starcom.ca

“Tell me about the last book you read, why you read it, and what learned from reading it.” – Brian Cooley

“When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up and why?” – Brett Christiansen

“What would have to happen to cause you to want to leave this position?” – Melanie Strick, successconnections.com

“What makes people buy? I’d ask about how the person would endeavour to study the target market and collect intelligence to form a strategy. I’d ask the difference between a marketing plan v.s. a marketing strategy.” – Michael Shuster

“Who was your favourite boss and why?”  – Rick Murray

“If you could relive the last 10 years of your life, what would you do differently?” – Paul Georgio

“When does the real you within you really come alive? What are your passions that expand your mind and energize your emotions?” – Peter Nicholls, workleisure.com

“Why do you think you should join us?” – Faiza A. Ghaznavi

“1. Share an interesting experience you have when you are successful in on eof the most trying and challenging environment. 2. How you handle disappointment, and share an incident where you are most embarrassed and how you resolve it. 3. have you enter into an argument and conflict with a senior staff, or your superior, how you feel and how you resolve, what is the effect to your relationship? 4. How do you bring a new product into the market? 5. what is the most important achievement in your life that you can call it “success”? elaborate.” – Steven Loh

“Why do you want to work for me?” – Hilda Ssentamu

“What will you do for the enterprise/company in the next five years?” – Jaffree Jaffree

“What is success for you?” – Mohini Aggarwal

“Why did you join this profession/career?” – Hector Nyambiya

”I’ve interviewed several very good candidates, and you’re certainly one of them. What single message would you like me to remember that will convince me that you are the right person for this job?” – Rachael Karuhi

“How do you segment consumer and industrial products market? Why is it so?” – Akshay Mate

“Noting class barriers in the surrounding market environment, how could one segment to attract customers?” – Abdulkadir Usman

“1. What do you think it takes to be successful in this role? 2. If I were line up 10 candidates for this position, what is it about you that stands out; why should I choose you over the other nine? 3. What are you looking for in a supervisor” -  Laurie Dever

“What were the reasons for leaving your previous jobs?” – Odno Demid, prioritythinking.com

“What value will you add to this company?” – Edith W. Kamau

“Are you a a “purple cow”?” -  Terence T. Kwaramba

“1. Tell of some situations in which you had to adjust quickly to changes over which you had no control. What was the impact of the changes on you? Please give specific a Situation, Action and Result. 2. Describe some times when you were not very satisfied or pleased with your performance. What did you do about it? Situation, Action, Result. 3. Give examples of your work experiences that were satisfying. Give examples of your experiences that were dissatisfying. Situation, Action, Result” -  Cora Conforti, transcore.ca

“Why do you want this job?  What more do you think you can do to market my business or add to my existing marketing campaigns and why?” – Jeanette Burke, yourmarketingmagnet.com

“How long will it take for you to make a meaningful contribution to our organization?” – Jerry

“Tell me about your favorite (or happiest) day at your last job.” – Christina Deleon

“What will you bring to the table? & How do you guarantee your promise? (Put your money where your mouth is!)” – Paddy O’Hara

“I want the person that fills this position to be better than me at ___________.  From information available in the public domain, tell me what you see I have done and how you think you could improve it.” – Nick Strong, selectyourfranchise.com

Thank you everyone for the great questions! You have definitely given me something to think about for the next round!

What do you think of these questions? Do you have any other recommendations to add?

I’ve love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!

Photo credit: Rob Bellinger

Update: Since posting this entry a few more people responded to the request I put in my newsletter. Here is what they had to add:

“Part 1 – where do you want to be in five years time ( I don’t care what they answer)  Part 2 – what are you doing today to GUARANTEE that you will be there in five years.” – Max Kalles,www.simplifytheinternet.com

“Would you help a foundation that needed your support in not just funding but being a volunteer?” – Marie Cotellesssa

“What do you need to know before you carry out the job you are going to do? What do you need to be able to do in order for you to carry out the job?” – Mily Kirabo

“If you were not doing this (whatever the business) what would you be doing, and why?” – Janet Farmer

“1. how would you describe yourself? 2. why did you chooose this career? 3. do you consider yourself a good leader?” – Chenquilla Kirk

“Who are you?” – Jim Adams