5 Common Interview Questions to Retire

Interviews are always a little nerve-wracking, and the last thing you want to do is ask questions that make candidates even more on edge. Asking the right questions during the process can make all the difference. Many traditional interview questions are unnecessarily stressful and don’t actually give you a good idea of who your candidates are. According to our hiring experts at Nova Staffing, here are some common interview questions companies should retire.

 

Question 1: “How Would You Deal With…”

Hypothetical questions are extremely stress-inducing and, at best, leave you with a rough guess of how a candidate would react in a situation. This isn’t a reliable indicator of performance, and often people react completely differently in an actual situation versus a hypothetical one. Past behavior is a better indicator of future behavior, which is why the better way to phrase this sort of question is “Can you describe a situation where you successfully dealt with….” This will allow the candidate to go over a past accomplishment and provide you with concrete examples.

 

Question 2: “What Are Your Greatest Strengths?”

This is one of the most traditional interview questions and is by far one of the most common interview questions. As common as it is, it’s pretty useless as far as questions go. Not only do candidates know to expect this question and prepare carefully crafted answers, but there’s also no real way to substantiate their response. Anyone can say they’re detail-oriented or hardworking, but what proof do you have? Instead, ask, “Can you describe a work situation that best demonstrates your personal strengths?”

 

Question 3: “What Are Your Greatest Weaknesses?”

This common question is often a follow-up to the one above. Asking about weaknesses is often more nerve-wracking for people, especially because no one wants to admit they have faults while trying to win over a company. Candidates know to prepare for this question, so they often edit out any real weaknesses and instead only share “good” ones that don’t give you an accurate picture of them. It’s better to ask questions like, “Can you describe a challenging situation that exposed a weakness of yours, and how did you overcome it?” This gives your candidate a chance to be honest about weaknesses and share how they worked around them.

 

Question 4: “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”

This question always feels like it should be asked by a high school guidance counselor or your grandparents at Thanksgiving dinner rather than a company interviewing you. Today, the concept of a lifelong job is outdated. Most people don’t expect to stay at the same company for more than a few years. Toss in the current volatile and ever-changing global landscape, and it’s pretty rare for people to have a clear five-year vision for themselves. If you do want to ask this question, frame it as “Where do you see yourself in a year or two” or “What would you like to learn over the next few years?”

 

Question 5: “Why Do You Want This Job?”

This is one of the questions recruitment agents hate asking the most, and we usually encourage companies to skip it. This type of question will never give you the honest answer you want. The truth is most people want a job for the money and financial security. It’s better to ask, “What about this job excites you” or “What about our company piqued your interest?”

 

Is your company looking to hire quality candidates? Contact Nova Staffing today! Our team of experienced hiring experts can help fill your job openings and ask the right interview questions that will ensure you hire the right people!