Tricky Questions You Should Be Asking During an Interview

When it comes to interviewing candidates for a position that you’ve advertised, it’s important to know that the person you are hiring is everything they’ve claimed to be and more. Often, what comes out on a resume or cover letter isn’t a good representation of the individual – whether it exaggerates their talents or even under promotes them.

Before an interview, candidates often practice their answers beforehand, meaning that the responses they give when you meet with them in person could possibly be scripted and not genuine. Another factor to consider is that you’re not given the opportunity to test your candidate’s ability to communicate effectively and react quickly to unexpected questions.

Here are some key questions to ask your candidates that will be tricky enough to catch them off guard, that way you can truly test their character. Check out the blogs of professional sales recruiters for more information and tips on which questions you should be asking.

1. Why Do You Want to Work Here?

This one might seem a bit cliché but it’s important to know that the candidate you are interviewing is truly interested in the role they will do as well as the company that they are applying for. Hiring someone who is “just looking for a job” will typically leave you with an employee who is unmotivated and uninspired.

A candidate you are interviewing should show that they

Have done research about your company
Are familiar and aligned with your company’s core values
Are interested in the growth opportunities that your business can offer
Want to invest in your company and see it grow and succeed
Believe in your company and the work that you do

Mainly, you’ll want to see that they are excited to be there and genuinely eager to work for you.

2. Why Are You Leaving Your Current Role?

If your job candidate is planning on exiting a current position, be sure to ask them why that is. It’s a good opportunity for you to look for red flags and see whether or not you are dealing with a negative or problematic person.

For instance, if they complain a lot about their boss, the role, or about the company as a whole, you could be dealing with someone who is simply negative or even exceptionally needy. While their concerns could be valid, it’s not in good taste to talk about a current employer behind their back, and lacks the professionalism you should look for in a new employee.

3. When Have You Dealt With Failure?

Situational questions are great for getting a sense of how a person will react when presented with challenges. When asking a candidate about an experience that they’ve had during their career where they made a mistake or failed to meet their goals, you will be able to tell whether they