How to Avoid Asking Bad Interview Questions
Set hiring goals., Familiarize yourself with the relevant job duties., Create a checklist of questions to be asked., Remain as unbiased as possible., Stop when you get tired., Analyse each question before you ask it., Read some examples of good...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Set hiring goals.
Most recruiters are not clear about their hiring goals.
Being a part of the selection team, you must know what the hiring goals are or what is the purpose of hiring? Recruiters mostly ask irrelevant questions during an interview just because of lack of information.
They are themselves not clear about their job.
In other words, they do not really know what they should ask to judge candidate skills.
This is why it's so important to set hiring goals before starting the interview process Create a one page document that mentions the things you are looking for in the candidate or the things you won’t compromise upon while making a hiring decision.
For instance, your hiring goal can be to find a marketing manager, aged above 40 having extraordinary communication skills and past experience of serving in a medium or large organization. -
Step 2: Familiarize yourself with the relevant job duties.
Another common reason recruiters ask bad interview questions that are totally irrelevant to the job is their lack of knowledge regarding the job posts being filled.
There is no logic checking leadership skills while hiring a sales worker or checking communication skills while hiring an I.T. expert.
You should know the job duties for the relevant post so that you may ask questions accordingly.
It is recommended that you read the job description before taking the interview.
Create a one page document mentioning the key job responsibilities, then ask questions on the basis of job duties instead of asking random questions , It is better to create a checklist of all the questions to be asked beforehand in order to avoid asking bad interview questions.
If you are new in the recruitment team then this tip is especially for you.
Creating a checklist does not mean that you have to strictly follow it.
You may also ask any other question that comes in your mind at the time of taking the interview.
The purpose of creating checklist is just to remain focused.
Read the job description and check hiring goals while making checklist, or get a checklist made from an experienced recruiter.
Double check the questions to ask to make sure that all of them are relevant to the job. , It is very important for recruiters to put aside their personal preferences and biases when giving interviews.
Asking confusing, irrelevant and difficult questions from candidate just because he or she is a certain rare, religion or gender is neither logical nor ethical.
Don’t let your personal feelings affect the interview process and educate yourself about possible biases you have to avoid.
Set the same standards for everyone irrespective of their age, gender, race, ethnicity etc. , Many recruitment teams interview hundreds of people in one day from early morning till evening.
This is not a good practice as it may affect the hiring decision.
Recruiters are so tired sometimes that they start asking strange questions that are in no way relevant to the job post.
You must stop the interview process after you get tired in order to avoid this issue.
Take a short break after conducting every few interviews in order to regain your energy and grab a coffee to stay fresh. , There are a few questions you must ask yourself about every single question on your list.
You will automatically avoid asking bad interview questions after giving answers to following questions:
Does this question provide me with useful and relevant information about the candidate? Does this question help me in judging the skills and abilities of the candidate? Is this question worth asking? Is this question relevant to the job? Is this question logical and practical? Is it necessary to ask this question necessary for taking Is this question ethical and professional? , Some good interview questions include:
Tell me about any work experience relevant to this current job.
Why did you leave your last job? Can you work under pressure? Why do you think you are a perfect fit for this job? Give three reasons why we should we hire you? , You should never ask questions such as the following:
Briefly tell me about your family.
What is your current body weight? Do you plan to start a family? Have you ever been arrested? Have you ever taken any drugs? -
Step 3: Create a checklist of questions to be asked.
-
Step 4: Remain as unbiased as possible.
-
Step 5: Stop when you get tired.
-
Step 6: Analyse each question before you ask it.
-
Step 7: Read some examples of good interview questions.
-
Step 8: Stay away from bad interview questions.
Detailed Guide
Most recruiters are not clear about their hiring goals.
Being a part of the selection team, you must know what the hiring goals are or what is the purpose of hiring? Recruiters mostly ask irrelevant questions during an interview just because of lack of information.
They are themselves not clear about their job.
In other words, they do not really know what they should ask to judge candidate skills.
This is why it's so important to set hiring goals before starting the interview process Create a one page document that mentions the things you are looking for in the candidate or the things you won’t compromise upon while making a hiring decision.
For instance, your hiring goal can be to find a marketing manager, aged above 40 having extraordinary communication skills and past experience of serving in a medium or large organization.
Another common reason recruiters ask bad interview questions that are totally irrelevant to the job is their lack of knowledge regarding the job posts being filled.
There is no logic checking leadership skills while hiring a sales worker or checking communication skills while hiring an I.T. expert.
You should know the job duties for the relevant post so that you may ask questions accordingly.
It is recommended that you read the job description before taking the interview.
Create a one page document mentioning the key job responsibilities, then ask questions on the basis of job duties instead of asking random questions , It is better to create a checklist of all the questions to be asked beforehand in order to avoid asking bad interview questions.
If you are new in the recruitment team then this tip is especially for you.
Creating a checklist does not mean that you have to strictly follow it.
You may also ask any other question that comes in your mind at the time of taking the interview.
The purpose of creating checklist is just to remain focused.
Read the job description and check hiring goals while making checklist, or get a checklist made from an experienced recruiter.
Double check the questions to ask to make sure that all of them are relevant to the job. , It is very important for recruiters to put aside their personal preferences and biases when giving interviews.
Asking confusing, irrelevant and difficult questions from candidate just because he or she is a certain rare, religion or gender is neither logical nor ethical.
Don’t let your personal feelings affect the interview process and educate yourself about possible biases you have to avoid.
Set the same standards for everyone irrespective of their age, gender, race, ethnicity etc. , Many recruitment teams interview hundreds of people in one day from early morning till evening.
This is not a good practice as it may affect the hiring decision.
Recruiters are so tired sometimes that they start asking strange questions that are in no way relevant to the job post.
You must stop the interview process after you get tired in order to avoid this issue.
Take a short break after conducting every few interviews in order to regain your energy and grab a coffee to stay fresh. , There are a few questions you must ask yourself about every single question on your list.
You will automatically avoid asking bad interview questions after giving answers to following questions:
Does this question provide me with useful and relevant information about the candidate? Does this question help me in judging the skills and abilities of the candidate? Is this question worth asking? Is this question relevant to the job? Is this question logical and practical? Is it necessary to ask this question necessary for taking Is this question ethical and professional? , Some good interview questions include:
Tell me about any work experience relevant to this current job.
Why did you leave your last job? Can you work under pressure? Why do you think you are a perfect fit for this job? Give three reasons why we should we hire you? , You should never ask questions such as the following:
Briefly tell me about your family.
What is your current body weight? Do you plan to start a family? Have you ever been arrested? Have you ever taken any drugs?
About the Author
Raymond Phillips
A passionate writer with expertise in organization topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: