This presentation helps managers with many good questions that can be asked during an interview, as well as questions to avoid.

1. Presented by
Kevin Panet, MS HRM, SPHR-CA
www.LinkedIn.com/in/kevinpanet
www.KevinPanet.com

2. Critical Issues
 Companies cannot afford to hire the wrong
people
 Legal issues continue to grow
 Need to set people up for success
 Turn over is expensive
“Common sense is not always common practice” – Mark Twain
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3. Overview
 Different types of interviews
 Interview Questions
 Legal issues
 Candidate scoring
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4. Types of Interviews
Screening Interview
The purpose of this meeting is to quickly assess the skills and personality
traits of the potential candidates.
The objective ultimately is to “screen out” those applicants the interviewer
feels should not be hired due to lack of skills or bad first impressions.
The interviewer must also “screen in” those candidates she/he feels would
make a valuable contribution to the company.
Look for inconsistencies in the jobseeker's resume and challenging his/her
qualifications.
A screening interview is meant to weed out unqualified candidates.
One type of screening interview is the telephone interview.
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5. Types of Interviews
Telephone Interview
Telephone interviews are merely screening interviews meant to eliminate
poorly qualified candidates so that only a few are left for personal interviews.
These interviews help save time and money for both hiring managers and job
candidates.
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6. Types of Interviews
One-On-One Interview
In a one-on-one interview, it has been established that the jobseeker has the
skills and education necessary for the position.
You want to see if the jobseeker will fit in with the company, and how his/her
skills complement the rest of the department.
You want to determine how the candidate’s qualifications will benefit the
company.
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7. Types of Interviews
Panel or Team Interview
The jobseeker will have to face several members of the company who have a
say in whether he/she is hired.
The job seeker may be asked to demonstrate his/her problem-solving skills.
The panel will outline a situation and ask him/her to formulate a plan that deals
with the problem.
The interviewers are looking for how the jobseeker will apply his/her
knowledge and skills to a real-life situation.
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8. Types of Interviews
Informational Interview
Typically this is an interview set up at the jobseeker's request with a Human
Resources Manager or a departmental supervisor in the career field he/she is
interested in.
The purpose of this interview is to help the jobseeker find out more about a
particular career, position or company.
The “candidate” is seeking information from these people in hopes that they
might refer him/her to someone else in their company or to somebody they may
know outside their company who could use their skills.
The Informational Interview is a part of the “cold-calling” process whereby
jobseekers are generating their own job leads.
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9. Types of Questions
 General Questions
 Job Specific Questions
 Behavioral Interviewing Questions
 Illegal Questions
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10. General Questions
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
3. What experience do you have in this field?
4. Do you consider yourself successful?
5. What do co-workers say about you?
6. What do you know about this organization?
7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
8. Are you applying for other jobs?
9. Why do you want to work for this organization?
10. Do you know anyone who works for us?
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11. General Questions
11. What kind of salary do you need?
12. Are you a team player?
13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
14. Have you ever had to fire anyone? How did you feel about that?
15. What is your philosophy towards work?
16. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?
17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
18. Explain how you would be an asset to this organization.
19. Why should we hire you?
20. Tell me about a suggestion you have made.
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12. General Questions
21. What irritates you about co-workers?
22. What is your greatest strength?
23. Tell me about your dream job.
24. Why do you think you would do well at this job?
25. What are you looking for in a job?
26. What kind of person would you refuse to work with?
27. What is more important to you: the money or the work?
28. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?
29. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor
30. What has disappointed you about a job?
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13. General Questions
31. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.
32. Do your skills match this job or another job more closely?
33. What motivates you to do your best on the job?
34. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?
35. How would you know you were successful on this job?
36. Would you be willing to relocate if required?
37. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of your own?
38. Describe your management style.
39. What have you learned from mistakes on the job?
40. Do you have any blind spots?
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14. General Questions
41. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?
42. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?
43. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?
44. What qualities do you look for in a boss?
45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others.
45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others.
46. What position do you prefer on a team, working on a project?
47. Describe your work ethic.
48. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
49. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job.
50. Do you have any questions for me?
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15. Job Specific Questions
Do you have the knowledge sets, skill sets and personal attributes to
allow you to do the job?
1. What parts of your education do you see as relevant to this position?
2. What prompted you to study _______________?
3. Tell me about a time when you had to communicate information to a group of
people.
4. Tell me about a significant achievement in your life.
5. Tell me about a time where you had to work towards a deadline. Did you
meet it? If not, what would you do differently next time?
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16. Job Specific Questions
Do you have the knowledge sets, skill sets and personal attributes to
allow you to do the job?
6. Why do you want to work for us?
7. What do you know about our company/practice/business?
8. What are your short term/long term goals?
9. Where do you see yourself in five years time?
10. Describe a time where you set yourself a challenging goal? What
happened? What would you do differently?
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17. Job Specific Questions
Will the employee fit in?
11. Describe a time where you had to work with a group of people to achieve a
common goal?
12. Can you give me an example of working as part of a team. What was your
contribution to the team and what was the outcome of this exercise?
13. What would you do if ____________________________?
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18. Job Specific Questions
What makes this person the best applicant for this position? Why should
the employer take this person over other applicants?
14. Why do you think you are the best person for the job?
15. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
16. Can you give me five words that best describe you?
17. What skills and qualities can you bring to this position?
Is there anything you would like to ask us?
18. Is there anything else that you feel we should know about your ability to
perform the assigned duties and responsibilities of this position?
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19. Behavioral Interviewing Questions
Planning and Organization/Time Management:
1. How do you determine priorities in scheduling your time? Give examples.
2. Describe a time in school when you had many projects or assignments due
at the same time.
3. What steps did you take to get them all done?
4. Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were
required to prioritize your tasks.
5. How do you prioritize projects and tasks when scheduling your time? Give
me some examples.
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20. Behavioral Interviewing Questions
Teamwork:
6. Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person
even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).
7. Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset
customer or co-worker.
8. Describe a situation where you have had to work as part of a team to
achieve a result. What was your role in this?
9. Describe a situation where others you were working with on a project
disagreed with your ideas. What did you do?
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21. Behavioral Interviewing Questions
Adaptability:
10. Tell me about a time when you had to adjust to a classmate’s or colleague’s
working style in order to complete a project or achieve your objectives.
Analytical Skills/Problem Solving
11. Tell me about a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem. What
did you do? What was your thought process? What was the outcome? What do
you wish you had done differently?
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22. Behavioral Interviewing Questions
Communication:
12. What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example.
13. Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully
communicate with another person even when that individual may not have
personally liked you (or vice versa). How did you handle the situation? What
obstacles or difficulties did you face? How did you deal with them?
Creativity:
14. Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to
influence someone's opinion.
15. Tell me about a problem that you’ve solved in a unique or unusual way.
What was the outcome? Were you happy or satisfied with it?
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23. Behavioral Interviewing Questions
Decision Making:
16. Tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year.
17. Describe a situation where you have had to overcome a problem or
obstacle in order to move forward with something. What did you do?
18. Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision without all the
information you needed. How did you handle it? Why? Were you happy with
the outcome?
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24. Behavioral Interviewing Questions
Integrity/Honesty:
19. Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.
20. Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
21. Tell me about a time you had to fire a friend.
22. Describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low).
23. Tell of the most difficult customer service experience that you have ever had
to handle-perhaps an angry or irate customer. Be specific and tell what you did
and what was the outcome.
24. Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty
in order to get a job done.
25. Give a specific example of a policy you conformed to with which you did not
agree. Why?
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25. Behavioral Interviewing Questions
Leadership:
26. Give me an example of a time when you motivated others.
27. Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.
28. What has been your experience in giving presentations to small or large
groups? What has been your most successful experience in speech making?
29. Tell me about a team project when you had to take the lead or take charge
of the project? What did you do? How did you do it? What was the result?
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26. Behavioral Interviewing Questions
Interpersonal Skills:
30. Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to
solve a problem.
31. Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and
logic in solving a problem.
32. Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to
successfully convince someone to see things your way.
33. Give an example of when you had to work with someone who was difficult
to get along with. How/why was this person difficult? How did you handle it?
How did the relationship progress?
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27. Legal Issues
 Keep questions focused on the job
 Respect privacy rights
 Don’t ask for irrelevant personal insights
 Be mindful of appearances
 Keep notes
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28. Good vs. Bad Interview Questions
 Don’t ask…  You can ask…
 How old are you?  Are you over the age of 18?
 When is your birthday?  Can you, after employment,
 What year were you born? provide proof of age?
 When did you graduate
college/high school?
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29. Good vs. Bad Interview Questions
 Don’t ask…  You can ask…
 Are you married?  Can you relocate?
 Who do you live with?  Do you have any restrictions
 How many children? on your ability to travel?
 Are you pregnant?  Do you have responsibilities
 Do you expect to have a
that will prevent you from
family? meeting specified work
schedules?
 What are your childcare
 Do you anticipate any
arrangements?
absences from work on a
regular basis?
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30. Good vs. Bad Interview Questions
 Don’t ask…  Instead ask…
 How tall are you?  Are you able to lift a 50-
 How much do you weigh? pound weight and carry it
 How often do you go to the
100 yards, as that is part of
gym? the job?
 Are you on a diet?
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31. Good vs. Bad Interview Questions
 Don’t ask…  Instead ask…
 Do you have any disabilities?  Are you able to perform the
 Have you had any recent essential functions of this job
illness or operations? with or without reasonable
 Please complete this medical accommodations? (Legal if
questionnaire. the interviewer thoroughly
described the job.)
 What was the date of your
 Will you be able to carry out
last physical exam?
in a safe manner all job
 How's your family's health? assignments necessary for
 When did you lose your this position?
eyesight/ leg/ hearing/ etc.?  Are you able to lift a 50-
pound weight and carry it 100
yards, as that is part of the
job?
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32. Good vs. Bad Interview Questions
 Don’t ask…  Instead ask…
 Where were you/your  Do you have any
parents born? language abilities that
 What is your native would be helpful in doing
language? this job? (Legal if
 What is your country of
language ability is directly
citizenship? relevant to job
performance.)
 Are you a US citizen?
 Are you authorized to
work in the United
States?
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33. Good vs. Bad Interview Questions
 Don’t ask…  Instead ask…
 Have you ever been  Have you ever been
arrested? convicted of ____
crime?
 (Legal if the crime is
reasonably relevant to the
job; e.g. embezzlement
for a banking job, drug
crime if applying for a
pharmaceutical position,
crimes involving children
if working with kids, etc..)
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34. Good vs. Bad Interview Questions
 Don’t ask…  Instead ask…
 What type of discharge  In what branch of the
did you receive? Armed Forces did you
 Did you ever kill serve?
anyone?
 What type of training or
education did you
receive in the military?
 Can you provide proof
of service?
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35. Good vs. Bad Interview Questions
 Don’t ask…  Instead ask…
 What clubs or social  Are there any
organizations do you professional
belong to? associations, trade
groups or other
 Do you go to church? organizations that you
belong to that you
consider relevant to
this position?
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36. Good vs. Bad Interview Questions
 Don’t ask…  Instead ask…
 Anything personal!  Are you available for
 All questions in this work on Saturday and
area are illegal! Sunday? (only if it is
necessary).
Orientation
Race
Religion
Affiliations
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37. Post Interview Scoring
 The “Score Sheet” should be:
 Used objectively
 Used consistently
 Maintained for at least 3 years
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38. Post Interview Scoring
1. How well was the candidate prepared? Did they
Very Very
show up on time, “dressed for success,” etc.?
Poor Adequate Strong
1 2 3 4 5
2. How well did the candidate answer the General Very Very
Questions? Poor Adequate Strong
1 2 3 4 5
3. How well did the candidate answer specific job Very Very
questions? Poor Adequate Strong
1 2 3 4 5
4. How well did the candidate answer the behavioral Very Very
questions? Poor Adequate Strong
1 2 3 4 5
Total Score: ______ 38

39. Conclusion
Good interviewing skills are:
 Right for your business
 Best kept legal
 Will help reduce turn over
 Will help you save money
 Will help you make money
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