IES Blog

2 incisive interview questions

Posted on September 10th, 2013 Read time: 1 minutes

Muse recently published an article with entrepreneurs' favorite interview questions. Whether hiring permanent or temporary workers, it is important to ensure there is a good fit between the candidate and the company to make the experience beneficial for both parties. One way to do this is to ask interview questions that will reveal important facts about applicants.

"Which three adjectives describe your strengths?"
Asking about a candidate's strengths and weaknesses is a common practice in interviews. Even the slightest alteration to the question can catch an interviewee off guard, giving hiring managers a more honest look at a candidate's traits. Limiting acceptable answers to only three words can also be productive, as there is less room for explanation and prevarication.

"What do you want out of this position?"
Establishing a candidate's expectations early can be helpful. If they have desires that simply won't be fulfilled by the position on offer, it might be best not to offer them the job. On the other hand, if they are hired, knowing what they want out of the experience can help managers direct their efforts in ways that are sure to increase engagement and productivity.

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