Updating Interview Questions

Interviews are wonderful opportunities to have conversations with new people and expand your team. By asking candidates questions and having them share stories about their past, we feel more confident about relying on them in future scenarios. Now over the past decade, traditional interviews have changed and evolved. We are able to screen for candidates more effectively, connect with people virtually, and are constantly finding new ways of identifying ideal candidates for job opportunities.

Unfortunately, while the way we interview might have evolved, the types of questions we ask haven’t really changed. We’ve relied on asking “traditional” interview questions that aren’t always phrased in useful ways. People often don’t know how to answer these questions because they aren’t worded in a helpful manner. That’s why I recommend rephrasing interview questions to be more direct so that they actually address the real concerns of the interviewer.

For example:

Outdated: Tell me about yourself.
Updated: What are you passionate about and how has that fueled your career journey?

Outdated: Why are you qualified for this position?
Updated: What experience and skill sets do you have that you’ll be able to leverage in this role?

Outdated: What is your greatest strength?
Updated: Where do you feel your expertise lies and what types of projects or tasks do you feel the most confident about?

Outdated: What is your greatest weakness? 
Updated: What skill set are you still working on? What are you doing to improve it?

Outdated: Tell me about a time you failed.
Updated: Are you able to learn from your mistakes? What lessons have you learned and how do you apply that to future scenarios?

Interview questions open up avenues for deeper conversations. However, many questions need an update. By actually asking the purpose of the question, it helps candidates be more direct which can facilitate a more engaging and useful discussion.

Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA
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