Interviewing Prospective Employees

What made you pursue this field?

What knowledge or experience would you most like to acquire to help you in this field?

What courses in college and/or graduate school do you feel were most applicable to your work in the field?

What are your long-term goals, or where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?

When talking about the job in question, you'll want to get a feel for how the individual will fit in and handle different situations. After explaining some of the basic tasks involved, you might ask questions such as:

Which of your past experiences will help you most in this position?

Would you be comfortable supervising x number of employees?

We use x computer software. Are you familiar with that system?

What other skills do you feel you can bring to this position?

If this position requires that you put in x number of hours per week or do some travel out of town, would that be a problem for you?

Look at other aspects of the position you're looking to fill, such as phone calls, client contact, sales, or marketing skills, and ask candidates how comfortable they are in handling such specific tasks.

You may also want to ask questions about the applicant’s education, particularly with younger candidates who are more recently out of school and have less work experience. Internships have become more common in recent years, and you should ask the applicant what he or she did, and  learned, from any internships.

If the prospective employee has large gaps in his or her employment history, you'll want to inquire about what he or she was doing during those time periods. You'll also ask what compensation the individual was receiving at the previous job, and what he or she is seeking in this job. Sometimes this is saved for the second interview. In other situations, where you are limited to a certain salary or hourly wage, you might state that this job pays x, or you might provide a salary range. This way you can determine early on in the process whether the applicant is at all interested.

Along with the questions and answers, you'll want to get a feeling for the comfort and character of the person sitting across from you. However, try not to read too much into body language, since most people are nervous on a job interview. It's more important that you get a feeling for what this person brings to the position from his or her past experience, and his or her manner of presentation. Candidates should dress accordingly for an interview, depending on the formality of the position. You should describe the position and mention any benefits package that will be included. It's also helpful, though not essential, to share with each applicant a little background information on the company.