Every office is comprised of people with various backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets, all of whom make up the company’s culture. When hiring someone new, it’s important they not only have the right qualifications, but also fit into your office’s culture. In many office environments, people become close acquaintances since they spend the better part of a week with each other. Even in remote work environments, a need for group synergy is important.
As a hiring manager, you’re tasked with finding the ideal person who meets everyone’s expectations, skill- and personality-wise. So, what are the best questions to ask during an interview to help determine if someone fits into your office’s culture?
Whether you’re new to hiring or a seasoned hiring manager, these five questions and statements can help you understand your candidate on a deeper level.
- Share something about yourself that I wouldn’t find on your resume or application.
This request gives the applicant an opportunity to share soft skills or professional and personal experiences related to the role. This can also be a good icebreaker to help ease nerves and promote genuine dialog. Take notes of topics that you can use later as follow-up questions.
- Tell me about a time you disagreed with a coworker and how you resolved that disagreement.
This is a great way to determine your candidate’s conflict resolution style. It’s inevitable your team members will have a disagreement of some kind, whether it’s how to proceed on a project or being late on a report. How the applicant responds can tell you a lot about who they are. If they say they can’t remember a time when they had a disagreement with a coworker, this could mean they avoid conflict, or maybe they go with the flow and try not to make any waves.
- What are you passionate about?
Learning a candidate’s passion can reveal their long-term goals. Are they applying for the position to just earn a paycheck, or does the job align with their personal goals? If you’re looking for someone to stick around for a while, you’ll want their passions to align with the job they’re applying for. If their passion is to become a champion surfer, but they’re applying for an 8-to-5 accounting position, it’s possible the candidate might jump ship as soon as a job with higher pay or hours more conducive to their surfing schedule comes along.
- Tell me about a moment in your life that you’re proud of.
Leave it up to your applicant whether they describe something personal or professional. There’s no wrong answer, and you can learn a lot about what drives them to succeed in life and at work. If they recall a moment when they won an award, then you know public accolades are a good way to encourage them and help them succeed. If their proud moment involves endurance, like training for a marathon, or completing a year-long project, you can bet they would be encouraged by personal motivational emails or messages to give them the push they need to achieve their goal.
- How would past coworkers describe you?
When you ask an applicant how someone else would describe them, it’s less likely you would get an exaggerated response. An applicant likely hasn’t prepared for this question, so you’ll receive a more candid response, versus a canned answer. This question can be used in various forms, such as, how would past coworkers describe your weaknesses, or strengths? Learning how a third party would define your candidate can shed light on how they will fit in with your existing team.
Whenever possible, ask open-ended questions and allow the candidate ample time to respond. In fact, allowing an extended pause after a candidate’s response can encourage them to expand upon their answer, providing additional details about their skills and experiences. It’s human nature to fill an awkward silence.
Hiring the right person for your office is a daunting task and can take a lot of time away from your normal work routine. If you’re looking to fill a position in your office, contact your local Express Employment Professionals team. Our recruiters are staffing professionals trained to seek out the right candidate for your team.
Last Updated on October 3, 2024
