Job Interview Questions That Every Employer Should Ask (Part 2/2)
We love helping to connect the right people to the right job—and asking the right questions is part of that process.
In the first part of this mini blog series, several team members shared their favorite and unique job interview questions.
This second part is no different. More staffers have volunteered to share their best questions—the ones they think are the most helpful and insightful. (Sharing is caring, right?) Two ladies in this group specifically work with mental & behavioral health positions. Their questions are slightly nuanced, but they offer helpful insights regardless of industry.
If you’re looking to update your current job interview questions list, hearing from more experts who are in the trenches day-in and day-out should prove beneficial.
Keep reading to explore more great interview questions and the reasons why they're asked.
Interview Questions from Jaime, Recruiting Specialist:
Question: What are your 3 greatest strengths and 2 areas of weakness?
I find that asking this question is a person’s tell-all; their true level of self-worth and humility. While the candidate is answering this question, you can gauge the truth behind their report by the way they pause before answering, what they share, how they share it, and the tone of their voice. If they’re not convinced of their answers or their answers really do not identify strengths or weaknesses, then it appears that they don’t believe in themselves or what they’re sharing.
If a candidate admits they have a weakness but is unable to identify one by name, this shows me that they may not be self-aware, don’t want to expose their shortcoming because they feel embarrassed, or their pride is preventing them from being vulnerable. Strengths and weaknesses help determine the self-awareness and confidence a candidate has in themselves.
Question: Which of these statements best describes your sales abilities and why? I am a hunter, who loves to uncover leads in my target market and am able to generate leads OR I am a farmer, who likes to work with marketing leads and referrals and cultivate ongoing relationships.
This reveals skill, confidence, and comfort levels and personal drive that a candidate possesses. Different sales roles require different skill sets, and this question helps establish if their sales style and strategy is inline with the requirements of the position. Selling window and door replacements (a one-time purchase), for example, is totally different than selling a lawn care service (ongoing potential year after year). Are they that sales rep that builds ongoing relationships with customers who are repeat buyers? Or are they better suited to a role where they need to sell a customer one time and need to generate a steady stream of leads?
Interview Questions from Monica, Recruiting Specialist
Question: Describe your leadership style. Would your team agree with your description—why or why not?
Here's where you can find out a few more essential pieces of information. You may learn that they value coaching/mentorship or that they prefer a hands-off approach to learning and teaching. You'll get a feel for whether or not they lead by example or by a dictatorship. Maybe they take feedback well, or perhaps they tend to ignore others ideas or constructive criticisms because they think their way is best. There's a lot to uncover with this question.
Question: Tell me about the most challenging situation you’ve faced at work and how you handled it.
This question gives insights into problem-solving and communication skills. Hearing from the candidate regarding specific situations, and how they handled them offers insight into the way they think, how they interact with/treat others, if they can think on their feet, and more.
Interview Questions from Gail, Mental & Behavioral Health Specialist
Question: How do you develop a relationship with a client and/or their family?
This question is an important one since the mental & behavioral health field often requires the candidate to provide one-on-one therapy with the client but also meet and interact with family members. The ability to meet new people and quickly foster a relationship is vital to both a therapist and an agency. This question can also apply to individuals in other industries/positions such as customer service and sales.
Question: What would your present supervisor say about you?
This question gives me insight into the candidate's relationship with their supervisor and the types of feedback he/she receives. Sometimes they can give specific examples of compliments that their supervisor has given; other times they struggle to answer (a warning sign). I pay attention to whether these comments are positive or negative in tone.
Question: In dealing with clients who may be apprehensive or reluctant, what do you feel are your greatest strengths in being able to help the client to open up to therapy?
I am not looking for a stock answer like " I am good at building rapport" or "I am a good listener." I am looking for a real answer that will give me and the MH/MR provider insight into the candidate’s level of experience and clinical skills.
Question: What approach do you take when working with a client?
I ask this question with most of my phone screens, especially for positions where the candidate may be working with court-mandated clients or clients that may not be as open to therapy. I think it is important for the MH/MR service provider to have an idea of the clinician's style to determine if he or she would be a fit for their team and for their therapy model.
Resumes and cover letters are great, but they will never replace personal interviews.
Asking good questions, understanding the answers given, and knowing when and how to ask follow-up questions is a skill you develop on over time. Another critical skill to practice during in-person interviews is reading body language. There’s just so much that be gleaned from a good interview!