It's no secret that having a work environment where employees mesh well with each other leads to better productivity. However, determining whether a potential employee is a good fit for the company culture and the position itself can pose some challenges.
In the past, it seemed that hiring the employee was the only way to see if they'd truly fit. But with limited time and the high cost of onboarding, companies must determine quickly and efficiently if a candidate is a right choice. Below, 14 members of Forbes Human Resources Council share some of the questions they ask to gain immediate insight about a candidate and find out if they’re the best fit for the job.
1. Can you describe your ideal work environment?
Before I share the company's culture or work environment, I find that asking a candidate open questions, asking them to describe either their ideal environment or ideal manager or management style, I can often get honest insight into whether their preference matches what we have to offer without the candidate being able to tailor the answer in a way to tell me what they think I want to hear. - Ivelices Thomas, HR & Beyond
2. Can you tell me about a time you failed?
One of the hardest things is dealing with failure. How we do that, however, says a lot about us—our ability to overcome challenges, our ability to learn from mistakes and failures and our ability to move forward from tough situations. The answer to this question will show how honest, reflective and resilient a candidate is or is not. - Lotus Buckner, NCH
3. How do you define success?
Most interview questions either deal with a candidate’s background and job experience or are predictable. While this one may fall into the second category, its answer will vary for each candidate and won’t be right or wrong. However, how candidates define success can tell a lot about their work ethic and values, providing insight as to how well they may fit into the company culture. - John Feldmann, Insperity
4. What makes you a good fit for this role?
Asking this question prompts the candidate to explain the skills, experience, and values that make him or her a good fit for the role and company. The answer provided will enable recruiters and hiring managers to know if the candidate understands the requirements of the job, employee expectations and the company culture. The answer will also provide insight into the candidate's level of self-awareness. - Ochuko Dasimaka, Career Heights Consulting, Inc.
5. What are your current top three talents?
The first three provide good insights, but the last three is where we learn the most about the candidate and their attitude about life. If they spend their time lamenting not being born with something, versus showing their curiosity and thirst for knowledge by discussing the things they wish to learn, that provides a better insight into where they may be as a person. - Rachel Lyubovitzky, EverythingBenefits
6. What is your motivation?
Especially for sales-focused roles, understanding what that person is looking for will help me understand if we can support them. We have a culture and incentives that can support most things, but this will tell me if I am able to get the best out of that individual. It also tells me how that fits with the team and what dynamic that person may bring to my current employees. - Karla Reffold, BeecherMadden
7. What has been the best moment in your life so far?
Too many interview questions focus on a candidate’s current role and professional achievements. By focusing on the big picture, this question gives them the chance to open up about their life experiences. Their answer can reveal a lot about their personality, which matters just as much as work experience—if not more—when hiring! - Edward Fleischman, The Execu|Search Group
8. What was your role?
The "how" we work together to achieve results is critical for fit in our company. The collaborative work requires a high level of self-awareness. With this question, I select one of the projects listed on their resume and ask this to find out exactly what their role was in the project. For me, fit lies in confidently knowing what they contributed while giving credit and acknowledging the team. - Lisa Bastian, MOBIS
9. What do you expect to get out of this role?
It's just as important for me to know why a candidate would be a good fit for the job as it is for me to know why they want it. Regardless of whether they point to family, career prospects or even financial stability, I want to know that their goals align with our company values—plus, knowing this answer helps me put new hires in a position to succeed in whatever it is they hope to accomplish. - Laura Spawn, Virtual Vocations, Inc.
10. What are your nonnegotiables?
Asking a candidate to share their nonnegotiables or must-haves in their next role is a great step to knowing what is most important to them. It opens up the dialogue to really assess if there is alignment between what the candidate is seeking and what the role and company has to offer. It's a great way to ensure both you and the candidates are thinking about the long-term fit. - Alina Shaffer, LivingHR, Inc.
11. What do you look forward to at work?
When you go to work, what things do you look forward to? This is one of my go-to questions. It gives you insight into their personal motivators and a view as to whether they align with your organization needs, as well as your ability to meet their needs. This provides a good lens on probability of success. - Paul Phillips, Avanade
12. Who is your right hand?
Find out whether a person is introspective and self-aware by asking who he or she relies on most. Often, a candidate can articulate personal capabilities; they’re distinctive when able to identify what skills are needed by another team member. When someone doesn't acknowledge where they gravitate or that they can't do it all, it's a watch-out when working fast and collaboratively are so important. - Stacey Browning, Paycor
13. What's the last good book you've read?
We can get a lot of information about skills and experience from a candidate's application, but that won't always give us a good idea about culture fit. So, we ask about a book the candidate has read (or a movie they've seen). We are looking for passion, personality and the ability to deftly handle what may be an unexpected question. - Gina Deciani, Association for Supply Chain Management
14. How would you navigate poor group dynamics?
I like behavioral questions. Having actual examples of what they have done in a situation shows they know how to apply the theoretical side of things in the real world. But, I like this question the most because it shows how you will work with others in the face of conflict and possible stress. It will also tell me how you communicate internally and externally, and if you are mature in the workplace. - Kelly Loudermilk, Academic Impressions
