You’ve posted the job, reviewed the resumes, and selected your top candidates ─ now it’s time to conduct interviews to determine which person is best for the job. This is a very important task not to be taken lightly. You have just a short period of time to find your ideal candidate, so it’s essential to ask the right questions, so you’ll be able to make an informed hiring decision.

5 Essential Interview Questions
to Ask Every Candidate

1. Describe Your Ideal Work Environment.
   Cultural fit is a huge factor in employee satisfaction and overall suitability for the job. However, it can be difficult to gauge whether a person will fit in at your company until they’re already hired. This question allows you to find out immediately what type of environment the person prefers to work in, to see if they’re a good match.
2. What Competitive Advantage Do You Have On Other Candidates?
   Not only does this give you the chance to hear why the candidate thinks they’re the best person for the job, it also allows you to gain insights that may have been overlooked. The person may have unique qualifications making them a frontrunner, that may not have been noted otherwise.
3. Can You Share a Recent Professional Accomplishment You’re Proud Of?
   Their response allows you to gauge exactly what they view as important professional achievements. This gives you a glimpse at their values and standard performance levels. So if the accomplishment seems very minor, they may be a bit of an underachiever.
4. Tell Me About the Best Boss You Ever Had and Why You Liked Them?
   Relationships are everything in business. You want to do everything in your power to hire someone you get along well with. Finding out what the person liked about their former manager lets you know exactly what they’re looking for in a supervisor ─ independence, hand holding, praise, etc.
5. What Makes You Want to Work at Our Company?
   You want to hire someone who desires this specific position ─ not just any job, anywhere. Asking for specific reasons the candidate wants to work for you allows you to gauge their level of enthusiasm for the position. If they’ve done their research and can name specific things they admire about your organization and reasons they want the job, you can be confident they’re a strong candidate. However, if they appear flustered and don’t really know why they want the job, move on to the next candidate.

Since ECS, Inc. was formed in 2000, we have focused on building relationships with recruiters and clients throughout the United States, managing contract staffing engagements in the primary employment categories of Information Technology, Accounting & Finance, Clerical & Administrative, and some categories of Engineering & Architecture. Find out how ECS can help your business with its contingent labor workforce. Contact our team of professionals today for more information!