Finding the ideal candidate for your team is like unearthing a diamond in the rough. But here’s the catch: you can’t rely on luck alone. In today’s competitive landscape, businesses must roll up their sleeves and get intentional with their talent assessment efforts.

In this article, we’ll reveal the top strategic interview questions to ask candidates that’ll help you cut through the noise and find those rare gems among the crowd.

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Article Roadmap

• Key Considerations
• Cheat Sheet
• Questions To Ask
• Importance
• How Software Can Help
• Next Steps

Key Considerations

Hiring norms are constantly evolving. Not too long ago, recruiting professionals recognized the significance of soft skills alongside technical capabilities. Industry expert Josh Bersin even coined “power skills” to emphasize their importance.

So, what do you focus on while evaluating potential hires? The answer is simple: everything. It’s not just about expertise and skills but the ability to adapt to a defined role, acclimatize to the company culture and collaborate effectively with your teams.

• Can your potential hires effectively communicate their ideas and handle challenging situations with composure?
• Are they able to build positive relationships with colleagues and clients?
• Can they effectively collaborate, listen actively and empathize with others?

By adopting a whole-person approach, you can evaluate candidates’ technical prowess, behavioral competencies and social skills. This comprehensive interviewing technique ensures that you’re not only hiring for expertise but also for a candidate who can thrive in your company and contribute positively to your teams.

So, when crafting interview questions, ensure they hit the following categories:

1. Cognitive Abilities: Assesses problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities and overall intellectual aptitude.
2. Personality Traits: These questions focus on evaluating a candidate’s qualities like their level of extroversion, openness to new experiences, emotional stability and conscientiousness for job-based alignment and success.
3. Job-Specific Skills: Calculates a candidate’s proficiency in role-specific competencies like technical skills, language proficiency and industry knowledge.
4. Behavioral Competencies: Identify past performance in various situations like the ability to work in a team, navigate conflict and take the initiative.
5. Culture Fit: Asking questions about values, interests, work preferences and communication styles helps determine whether a candidate’s attitude aligns with the organization’s culture, ensuring a harmonious fit within the team and company.

Cheat Sheet

Before we take a deep dive into the strategic interview questions to ask, here’s a TL;DR version to help you swiftly review the top questions and return to your hectic schedule in no time!

1. What motivates you to stay determined and overcome obstacles? Share a story of when you used that motivation to achieve success.
2. How did you make the most of your time during the lockdown?
3. Think back to a boss or mentor who significantly impacted you. What made them stand out as a leader?
4. Can you share an instance when you stepped out of your comfort zone?
5. Describe a collaborative project where you had the opportunity to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds. How did you ensure everyone’s voices were heard?
6. How do you bounce back from failure or setbacks and maintain a positive mindset?
7. Describe when you had to adapt your communication style to connect effectively with different stakeholders.
8. Have you ever pursued learning beyond your job requirements?
9. What are your most fulfilling work experiences?
10. If you were presented with an unsolvable challenging problem, how would you approach it to find a viable solution?
11. Tell me when you went above and beyond to support and contribute to the company culture.
12. How do you stay updated on the latest trends and advancements in your field to ensure your skills remain relevant?
13. Have you ever been at odds with a supervisor or manager? How did you navigate that situation?
14. Describe a situation where you expertly managed competing priorities and effectively organized your time.
15. What piece of criticism do you receive the most from your past managers?
16. Can you tell us about a time when you thrived under pressure?
17. What work-life balance challenges do you face? How do you deal with them?
18. How do you explain technical topics to people not well-versed in the topic?
19. What role do you naturally fill in a team?
20. Describe your ideal workplace.
21. How would your past teammates and colleagues describe you?
22. What’s the one thing you would change about your career journey?

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Questions To Ask

Without further ado, here’s our list of top strategic interview questions to ask candidates:

1. What motivates you to stay determined and overcome obstacles? Share a story of when you used that motivation to achieve success.

In the grand talent acquisition quest, understanding a candidate’s motivation becomes crucial in determining their fit with our company’s values and vision. This question serves as a gateway to assess whether their motivators align with your core values and whether the candidate has the potential to contribute to a shared vision.

Asking candidates what fuels their determination and inviting them to share a triumphant tale of success opens the gateway to unraveling their inner drive, resilience, tenacity and ability to navigate obstacles.

2. How did you make the most of your time during the lockdown?

The global pandemic brought forth widespread devastation, leaving a trail of destruction and impacting each person differently. In the face of such uncertainty, lockdown stories hold valuable insights into a candidate’s character, revealing their ability to survive and thrive amidst challenging circumstances.

As you refine your talent selection process, these lockdown stories take on a new significance. Understanding how candidates utilized their time during the lockdown becomes a valuable indicator of their ability to prioritize, refocus and navigate difficult situations. It’s a testament to their resourcefulness and capacity to stay afloat when faced with adversity.

3. Think back to a boss or mentor who significantly impacted you. What made them stand out as a leader?

Asking candidates to reflect on legendary leaders digs deep into their perception of exceptional leadership. It’s like holding up a mirror to reveal the candidate’s leadership potential and compatibility with your company’s culture.

Everyone has different preferences for communication, management and work styles. It’s up to you to find which approach inspires and supports your candidate’s growth and whether they’ll fit in with your organizational groove.

4. Can you share an instance when you stepped out of your comfort zone?

Stepping out of one’s comfort zone demonstrates courage, resilience and a growth mindset. Asking about what pushed candidates to take that leap and what valuable lessons they learned along the way lets you suss out the candidate’s adaptability and fearlessness.

Those ready to conquer new frontiers bring their innovative spirit to a company that’s not afraid to break the mold.

5. Describe a collaborative project where you had the opportunity to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds. How did you ensure everyone’s voices were heard?

Collaboration keeps the wheels of productivity turning, so bringing in new employees who seamlessly fit into the existing team dynamics is vital. However, with millennials and Gen Z taking over the talent market, businesses are transforming into vibrant tapestries of diverse and value-driven teams.

Building teams where all voices are heard and respected becomes a top priority as these young job seekers dominate the talent market. A candidate’s knack for contributing to a positive team dynamic and driving innovation is essential, especially if your company oversees projects with cross-functional teams.

Asking this question helps gauge a candidate’s ability to work effectively in diverse teams, promote inclusivity and integrate different perspectives.

6. How do you bounce back from failure or setbacks and maintain a positive mindset?

In high-pressure job profiles like project management, where unexpected obstacles and shifting deadlines are the norm or customer-facing roles that involve dealing with irate customers, resilience and problem-solving skills are the ultimate superpowers.

Asking candidates to share how they rose from the ashes like a phoenix will help you understand their ability to turn adversity into an opportunity and learn from their mistakes. Adapting to changing circumstances with creative solutions can make all the difference between success and disaster.

7. Describe when you had to adapt your communication style to connect effectively with different stakeholders.

A multi-faceted role requires employees to wear different hats when dealing with multiple stakeholders. For example, engaging with senior executives requires focusing on high-level summaries and outcomes, while team members need a more detailed and collaborative approach. And coordinating with clients is a whole different ball game that requires changing the language, tone and level of technical detail to match their expertise.

Questions that assess the candidates’ ability to adapt their communication style determine who has the interpersonal finesse to tailor their communication like a maestro and build meaningful connections across diverse stakeholders.

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8. Have you ever pursued learning beyond your job requirements?

Pursuing knowledge is a delightful dance that transcends the boundaries of job requirements. Discovering candidates with an insatiable thirst for learning who go above and beyond their professional obligations can significantly enrich an organizational culture that values continuous growth.

If your hiring goal includes bringing in fresh ideas and diverse perspectives, it’s worth steering the conversation toward instances when candidates venture outside the boundaries of their roles. Encourage them to elaborate on how their pursuit of additional knowledge contributed to their personal and professional growth.

9. What are your most fulfilling work experiences?

The way employees look for and prioritize work is evolving. In a recent article by Gartner, values and purpose are intertwined and employers need to be ready to deliver.

Asking potential hires to elaborate on the satisfying work moments offers insights into their passions, values and aspirations. These tales of triumph provide a window into what truly inspires and drives your candidates, allowing you to assess whether their values align with your company’s vision for the future.

10. If you were presented with an unsolvable challenging problem, how would you approach it to find a viable solution?

This question delves deep into candidates’ problem-solving prowess, uncovering their strategic thinking abilities. It focuses on how they navigate uncharted territories and creatively drive towards attainable solutions. The insights gained from their responses enable you to identify individuals who possess the audacity to defy the odds and understand the thought process behind their creative force in finding viable solutions.

11. Tell me about when you went above and beyond to support and contribute to the company culture.

Inquiring about a time when candidates transformed themselves into their company’s champions helps delve into their sense of ownership.
Candidates who actively participated in enhancing company culture showcase a proactive mindset and a strong sense of ownership. Their tales of support and contribution showcase their ability to breathe life into the essence of our organization.

Prioritize individuals who’ll shape your company culture, foster team spirit and drive growth.

12. How do you stay updated on the latest trends and advancements in your field to ensure your skills remain relevant?

Investing in your workforce is crucial to maintaining a competitive edge in this skill-based economy, where job requirements are constantly in flux. It falls on you to build high-functioning teams hungry for knowledge and always up for learning something new.

So, job seekers with a strong appetite for knowledge become an obvious choice when hiring. These individuals will likely proactively upgrade their skills, bringing your business closer to success. When you ask this question, you identify enthusiastic learners and build a team you can rely on for the future, giving you confidence in your reskilling and upskilling initiatives.

13. Have you ever been at odds with a supervisor or manager? How did you navigate that situation?

Friction has a way of sneaking into even the most harmonious workplaces. That’s why it’s valuable to ask candidates about instances when they faced discord with a supervisor or manager. This question demonstrates their emotional intelligence and ability to handle challenging situations with finesse.

Those who can forge harmonious alliances and navigate the choppy seas of professional relationships are like skilled conflict navigators. They bring a special touch to your team, contributing to a positive and productive work environment.

14. Describe a situation where you expertly managed competing priorities and effectively organized your time.

Just imagine you’re in the process of hiring a project manager. The last thing you need is someone who crumbles under multiple deadlines, leaving tasks half-baked and projects in disarray.

Through this question, you assess a candidate’s organizational skills and uncover those who can keep calm amidst chaos and maintain composure in pressure-cooker situations.

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15. What piece of criticism do you receive the most from your past managers?

Take, for instance, hiring someone who can’t handle even the tiniest dollop of criticism and they end up serving customers with a side of attitude. Not a good look, right?

We all face criticism, but handling it can make or break our success. That’s why asking candidates how they reacted to criticism is like peering into their emotional resilience toolkit.

Inquiring about the feedback they received instead of asking how they handled it will help you determine their ability to accept feedback gracefully, learn from it and make improvements.

16. Can you tell us when you thrived under pressure?

Thriving under pressure is a remarkable superpower distinguishing the diamond candidates from the pebbles. When faced with challenging situations, you need candidates who can withstand the toughest storms and emerge stronger.

Whether navigating a time-sensitive marketing campaign or delivering a high-stakes sales pitch, you’re searching for candidates who survive under pressure and excel. By asking this question, you’ll uncover individuals who thrive on challenges, maintain unwavering focus and consistently deliver exceptional results, regardless of the circumstances.

17. What work-life balance challenges do you face? How do you deal with them?

Knowing how candidates handle the delicate dance between professional and personal life is essential. When asking this question, you’re not prying into their personal affairs; instead, you’re gaining insights into their self-awareness and ability to maintain a healthy equilibrium.

Your goal is to identify candidates who understand their work-life balance challenges and have strategies to tackle and prevent burnout. Once you learn your candidates’ strategies to bring their A-game to work without sacrificing their personal lives, you can assess how well they align with your company’s work culture.

18. How do you explain technical topics to people not well-versed?

Unraveling the mysteries of technical topics for the uninitiated is an art. As a recruiter, you want to uncover if your candidates can translate complex concepts into relatable language.

You’ll discover their techniques for making the complex simple, their patience in guiding others through jargon and their ability to adapt their communication style to meet the needs of diverse audiences.

19. What role do you naturally fill in a team?

Every team is like an orchestra, with every member playing a unique role that brings harmony and success. Hiring success depends on placing new employees in positions that align with their strengths.

Imagine assembling a team where everyone wants to be the star soloist, leaving no room for supporting roles. It would be chaos, like a symphony without a conductor. By asking this question, you’ll identify candidates who understand the power of collaboration and embrace the role that best complements the team.

20. What does your ideal workplace look like?

Whether your candidate thrives in a work-till-it’s-done culture or prefers a more steady and balanced approach, it’s crucial to understand the environment that brings out the best in them.

In pursuing talent, you’ll likely come across individuals who possess the necessary skills but struggle to adapt to your company culture. To prevent mismatches, it’s important to inquire about their perspective on an ideal workplace.

By asking candidates what makes a workplace ideal, you gain insights into their preferences, values and compatibility with your organization.

21. How would your past teammates and colleagues describe you?

How others see us sheds light on our strengths, quirks and the footprints we leave behind. By learning how your candidates reflect on how their past teammates perceived them, you gain access to their self-awareness and ability to present themselves authentically and confidently.

By asking this question, you can also uncover how candidates have influenced and inspired their peers in the past and determine if these individuals can serve as reliable references for their character and work ethic.

It’s an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their interpersonal skills and the positive impact they can have on a team.

22. What’s the one thing you would change about your career journey?

They say failure is a better teacher than success. But if there was a chance to rewind time and reshape career trajectories, would your candidates take it?

Your goal is to identify candidates who embrace the power of learning from mistakes and bring a sense of wisdom to their work, turning setbacks into stepping stones toward future success. By uncovering their attitudes towards self-improvement and resilience, you can find individuals who have the potential to grow and thrive in your organization.

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Importance

The interview phase is a defining moment where talent and opportunity collide. It’s a time to set the record straight, dispel doubts and unearth the true essence of a candidate’s potential.

Every second counts, making it paramount to utilize this precious opportunity optimally. That’s where strategic and consistent interview questions come into play:

• Uncover Potential: Strategic interview questions go beyond surface-level chit-chat and delve into a candidate’s true capabilities, revealing problem-solving skills, critical thinking and growth potential.
• Enhance Candidate Experience: Thoughtful questions show genuine interest and respect for candidates, turning the interview into a positive experience. Taking steps to value your potential hires improves how they perceive your organization, regardless of the outcome. It’s a win-win situation!
• Determine Culture-Fit: Strategic interview questions help you gauge if candidates will fit seamlessly into your team and company culture. No more oil-and-water situations.
• Reduce Bias: With standardized questions, you create a level playing field. Focus on job-related skills and qualifications to make fair and informed decisions.

How Software Can Help

The good news is that recruitment technology and tools are evolving as quickly as the talent landscape. With an abundance of vendors and options, you have a myriad of choices to select the ideal system that helps you acquire top talent based on your workforce type, company size and industry.

First, check your existing recruitment system for candidate evaluation and interview management capabilities. A robust system streamlines the interview process with specially designed features.

Our features and requirements checklist, curated by our analysts, is a good starting point to learn more about the technical and functional capabilities.

However, to make the best new technological advancements, consider upgrading to the following software to improve your competitive advantage:

• Talent Assessment Tools – Best for predicting a candidate’s potential fit and performance in a particular role with psychometric assessments, cognitive tests and job simulations.
• Behavioral Assessment Tools – Ideal for analyzing potential fit for a particular job role or team based on behavioral tendencies and personality traits via questionnaires and surveys.
• Talent Intelligence Software – Best for making data-driven workforce decisions based on multiple data sources from data analytics and artificial intelligence models.

The above-listed systems help you make your recruitment efforts razor-sharp with the following functions:

• Company-Specific Hiring Criteria: Analyze internal team dynamics, role-based success factors and industry standards to generate grading criteria tailored to the specifics of your company.
• Scientific Validation: I/O psychologists verify hiring criteria generated by the system to create accurate and bias-free assessment targets.
• Interview Guides: Targeted questions rooted in people analytics help you assess skills and compatibility levels. Ceratin talent assessment vendors generate questionnaires based on individualistic insights and behavioral targets.
• Predictive Profiles: Shareable candidate profiles and scorecards with editable notes and comments features enable collaborative and informed hiring.

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Next Steps

That concludes our list of strategic interview questions! Consider using the questions above and tailor them to fit your company’s needs as you gear up to start the hiring process.

Also, reevaluate your existing talent selection strategy and consider how well your existing tech fits into the picture. Our talent assessment software comparison report is a good starting point if you’re ready to upgrade.

Do you have some go-to questions you think should’ve made our list? Let us know in the comments!