Congratulations! Your immigration advertising campaign worked and you’ve netted a few great candidates. Now it’s time to conduct interviews. In the best of outcomes, you get a clear picture from each candidate and it’s clear who will be a good fit at the company. In the worst-case scenario, it’s difficult to understand what value they bring to the table.
Don’t fumble the interview! Impress top talent and bring great notes back to the company so you can evaluate each candidate carefully. Here are some key questions that you should ask every candidate. Plus, here are some of the ways that top candidates should answer these questions.
Tell Me About Yourself
This question is feared by pretty much every candidate in an interview setting. It’s very vague and it can be difficult to answer if they didn’t prepare. For people who speak other languages, the vagueness can be unsettling. Is this a question about my personal background? Should I talk about my childhood? Should I only share about my professional accomplishments?
That being said, it’s a great way to see what the candidate does with a vague situation. If the candidate has prepared at all for the interview, they should have anticipated this question and formulated some kind of response. They should respond easefully and confidently with a short narrative about their life that weaves together their professional interests and their future goals. If you get a lot of different answers from various candidates, it’s possible that your permanent labor certification ads gave confusing information. Take notes about their confidence level when the candidate answers this question. It should be conversational and engaging.
What Are You Most Proud of?
What an exciting question! This is a great opportunity for candidates to highlight accomplishments that aren’t on their resume, or to expand on something that was limited to a single line on their CV. Alternatively, they could describe something more personal which adds dimension to their candidacy. For instance, maybe they are most proud of climbing Mount Everest or taking care of an aging parent.
When candidates answer this question, you should be looking for a story about self-trust. Ultimately, people are always struggling to balance humility with pride. This question is all about tooting their own horn. Can the candidate find something that they feel confident enough to celebrate? If they don’t have anything specific, it could be an indicator of low self-esteem. It could also indicate that they don’t pay attention to statistics or analytics. For instance, a great answer to this question could be about raising the revenue by 150% within six months thanks to a new marketing strategy they dreamed up. This shows an awareness of impact as well as self-confidence.
What Are Some of Your Weaknesses?
This question is not intended to make candidates feel badly about themselves. Instead, it’s a test of the candidate’s self-awareness. Does he think of himself as perfect? Does he see room for improvement? Will he be able to take feedback? Many hiring managers think this question is outdated and don’t include it in interviews. But it’s a great way to understand the candidate’s psychology. It’s also an opportunity for candidates to speak to weaknesses on their resume by filling in the gaps.
What is a great answer to this question? Something honest. The candidate should not say something like, “I’m so organized and it drives people crazy.” That’s cheating! Don’t let candidates get away with using a strength as a weakness. If they do this, ask them about a time when they struggled or faced a challenge at work. Ask them to tell you how they solved it, if they did.
In response to this question, a candidate should clearly describe their weakness. They should explain how they first became aware of this weakness and the effect it had on their professional life. Then, they should explain the steps they are taking to rectify the problem. For instance, perhaps they are a weak writer but they are taking a class at a community college to strengthen their skills. Look for awareness and commitment to improvement.
What Are Your Career Goals for the Future?
If you’re speaking with overseas talent, it’s great to ask about their goals for the future. Immigration labor advertising can bring a diverse selection of candidates to the table. Some of them will have never worked abroad before. Are they planning to stay in the U.S. permanently? Do they have any intention of returning home to start a company in their own country?
Remember that no answer should disqualify a candidate from moving forward. Once again, honesty is the best answer to this question. Overall, a great answer to this question includes a mixture of certainty and openness to change. A strong candidate should know which job titles and industries interest them the most. However, they should also be flexible enough to understand that new technology and cultural events could change their plan at any time.
Do You Have Any Questions for Me?
Finally, most hiring managers conclude an interview by asking if the candidate has any questions for them. A strong candidate will have researched the company ahead of time and prepared a few questions in advance.
If a candidate has nothing to say, it might show a lack of preparation. A strong candidate will ask what skillsets are most crucial to succeed in this role. They might ask about management style, work culture, or how the company has adapted to remote work. Silence is not a good answer to this question.
Ask these five questions of your candidates and you’ll gain powerful information about who could be the right fit for your company.
