Best Interview Questions To Ask Candidates List
Hiring the right candidates for the job is crucial and it starts with asking the right interview questions. This guide is designed to provide you with common interview questions to ask, as well as specialised questions to ask in an interview for roles in hospitality and customer service. Download our free resource to equip you with the interview questions that will help you identify top talent in Australia.
The Important Interview Questions to Ask
Common Interview Questions
When you’re looking to fill a role, these common interview questions should always be in your toolkit. These interview questions are effective in any setting, no matter the role or the industry.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? — A classic that appears in nearly every interview scenario. It helps to better understand what this candidate could bring to your company and whether they will be a good fit.
Why do you want to work here? — Helps gauge a candidate’s interest in your company’s mission, culture and values.
What can you bring to this role that others cannot? — Help you to assess the unique capabilities of the candidate.
Behavioural Interview Questions
Behavioural interview questions are important as they reveal how a candidate has handled real-life situations in the past, which can be indicative of how they’ll handle future challenges.
- Tell me about a time you overcame a significant challenge at work.
- Describe a project where you took a leadership role. What was the outcome?
- Can you provide an example of a goal you didn’t meet and how you handled it?
Interview questions for employers
As an employer, it’s also common (and encouraged!) to be on the receiving end of questions during the interview process. Be prepared with answers to interview questions that candidates might ask, such as:
- What are the growth opportunities in this company?
- Can you describe the company culture here?
- What are the key challenges facing the company right now?
Casual job interview questions
When interviewing candidates for casual positions, it's important to adjust your questions to see if they can jump right in and juggle a few things at once. So, let's talk about some good casual interview questions to ask potential candidates.
How do you prioritise tasks when working on multiple projects at once? — This question helps understand their organisational skills, a crucial trait for casual roles that may require juggling various tasks.
Can you describe a past experience where you had to quickly learn a new skill or system? — Effective for evaluating adaptability, a key quality for casual positions.
What draws you to working in casual employment? — Gives insight into their commitment and interest in casual work.
Interview Questions for Temp Employees
At Sidekicker we know a thing or two about hiring the best temporary talent for the role. Interviewing for temporary roles requires a focus on specific qualities that ensure the candidate can create a real impact on your business. Here are targeted interview questions for temp employees:
What experiences do you have in temporary roles, and what were the key takeaways from those positions? — This question reveals their familiarity with temporary assignments and what they bring to the table.
How quickly can you adapt to a new workplace environment? — Crucial for temp roles where the employee needs to hit the ground running.
Can you provide an example of how you contributed to a team or project on a short-term basis? — Helps assess their teamwork and project impact in limited timeframes.
Hospitality Interview Questions
Finding the right staff in hospitality is all about spotting those who handle service with a smile and can keep their cool under pressure. Here are some targeted hospitality job interview questions to ask:
- Describe a time when you went above and beyond for a guest?
- How do you manage simultaneous requests from multiple guests?
- What techniques do you use to handle dissatisfied customers?
These interview questions for hospitality are designed to help you find and hire candidates who not only have the right skills but have what it takes in this fast-paced industry.
Looking to hire a temp in hospitality? Explore how Sidekicker can help you find the perfect person for the job here.
Customer Service Interview Questions
Customer service roles demand a high level of patience, empathy, and quick thinking. Here’s how you can frame your interview questions for customer service roles:
- Can you provide an example of how you handled a challenging service situation?
- What methods do you use to ensure a positive customer interaction?
- How do you handle receiving negative feedback from a customer?
These customer service job interview questions are crucial for finding candidates who can not only perform well under the usual conditions but can also boost your customer service standards.
Looking to hire a customer service temp? Explore how Sidekicker can help you find the perfect person for the job here.
