An informative interview plays an important role in allowing a company and an applicant to get to know each other. To ensure your interview is productive and helpful, make sure you ask the right questions.
Begin with Broad Questions
No matter who you’re hiring or what job position you are attempting to fill, you should always include some broad questions. Broad interview questions help you get a feel for a candidate’s personality, vision, and goals. Try to ask these questions in some form throughout the interview process.
1. “Why do you want to work with our company?”
Whether you reached out to them or they reached out to you, something about your company encouraged the candidate to move forward with an interview. Understanding what appeals to applicants can help you later down the line.
2. “What sets you apart from other candidates?”
This is a common interview question, but it is an important one. Before hiring someone, you want to know what they bring to the table and why you should hire them over somebody else. Provide the applicant with an opportunity to make themself unique.
3. “What is your proudest accomplishment in this industry?”
Whether it’s an employee aware, an educational experience, a solved problem, or a completed project, asking about an applicant’s accomplishments can help you gauge how they feel about the industry. It also provides some insight as to their determination and skills.
4. “Give an example of a time you solved a problem at work.”
Problem-solving skills are important in almost every work environment. This question helps you understand how quickly the applicant thinks and whether or not they need someone to hold their hand.
5. “Can you think of any industry weaknesses you possess?”
No one is perfect. Everyone has weaknesses. If your candidate is unwilling to offer any insight as to theirs, it may be a red flag. Remember, a weakness can be as simple as “struggles to talk to people.” It isn’t necessarily a glaring gap in the job description.
5 Interview Questions to Ask Web Developers
Once you have gotten the broad questions out of the way, you can begin tailoring your questions to a specific job description. For companies hiring web developers, certain qualifications are vital to the position. Try asking these five questions to determine how comfortable an applicant is with web development.
1. “What has been the most interesting web development project you have worked on?”
This is a fun, personal question that helps clear the air. It allows the job applicant to speak about their personal interests and experiences without feeling like they are being tested. It also provides a round-about description of some job skills.
2. “What do you find the easiest and the most challenging about web development?”
Understanding what an applicant finds to be easy and difficult helps you match them to a position. You may discover that they are not necessarily cut out for the position you had in mind, but they would be perfect somewhere else.
3. “Can you explain a complicated tech topic to me in simple terms?”
In web development, it is important for employees to be able to simplify the language. As the old saying goes, “If you can’t teach it, you probably didn’t fully learn it.”
4. “In your opinion, what are the most common issues faced by businesses when it comes to digital transformation?”
This question provides insight as to how observant the applicant is, as well as how much they know about your challenges as a business. After they answer this question, maybe ask them how they would go about fixing the problem.
5. “What makes web development exciting to you?”
There is a driving force behind everything. This question provides the job candidate with an opportunity to present their passion clearly.
Additional Tips for Improving the Interview Process
How else can you improve the interview process? Try applying the following three tips.
1. Be friendly and communicative.
Your potential employee will likely reciprocate your demeanor. Communicate clearly and directly, and be friendly. Do your best to set the applicant at ease so that they will answer questions honestly.
2. Ask them if they have questions for you.
An interview is often a two-way street. The job candidate may have questions and concerns, so make sure they feel free to bring those up.
3. Use a recruiter to screen applicants.
A recruiter exists to make the lives of employers and employees easier. A recruiter can match the job description you provide to the applicants that best fit. Enlisting the help of a recruiter saves you both time and money, and it increases your chances of finding the perfect candidate.
