If your job is to hire new employees, write an article, or just want to learn more from one person you admire, you may have to take on the task of interviewing people. It is essential that you are prepared for the interview with several well-crafted questions, which will also allow you to get the information you want from the interview. To develop interview questions, you must understand or discover the purpose of the interview, and understand the person you are interviewing and what you need from them.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Interview prospective employees
Step 1. Consider the interviewee as an intelligent person
Regardless of the type of job you are hiring someone for, you should ask questions that an intelligent and capable person can answer. You shouldn't hire someone who's not the right fit for the job just because you assume the applicant won't be able to answer tough questions.
- When writing questions before an interview, put yourself in the shoes of the interviewer and the interviewee.
- Putting yourself in the applicant's shoes will help you come up with questions that you could answer. You should be able to answer your own questions. It's even a good idea to write down these answers and compare them later.
- By treating your interviewees like smart people, you can come up with tough questions that will not only allow you to determine who is right for the job, but also who is the most appropriate.
Step 2. Begin by asking open-ended questions
An open question cannot be answered with a "yes" or a "no", and there is usually no right or wrong answer.
- Asking an open question is a good way to calm the applicant down. Your applicants should feel comfortable. If an applicant is comfortable, they are more likely to pay attention.
- Also, open questions are a good way to discover some basic competencies of the applicant, and get some clues about what to ask next.
- Try asking questions like the following: “Tell me about the relationships you have had with the people you worked with. How would you describe the best and the worst? " This question will immediately give you an idea of how well the applicant could adapt to a team in your workplace. Applicants generally do not like to speak ill of their co-workers or bosses, particularly in an interview. This question allows you to observe the way in which this person develops in these aspects.
Step 3. Create questions that compel the interviewee to communicate their knowledge of your company
You should make sure that your interviewee has been informed and has learned something about your company. Also, you must determine if this person has only learned the facts or if they really understand them.
- If you ask questions that look at a current employee's position, this will quickly show you how well this person knows your company.
- You could ask the following: "Tell me about [your company name] as if I were going to buy your product or service." This will immediately show you how well this applicant knows what they do and if they have the ability to speak on behalf of the company.
- You can be lenient in how the applicant promotes your company, which will depend on the position for which you are hiring. If you are hiring for an internal position not related to sales, all you need to know is whether the applicant has been informed.
- You might also ask the following: "If we sat down again in a year to reflect on the time you've spent with the company, what would you like to have accomplished?" These types of questions will allow you to assess how well the applicant understands the work they do from a broader perspective, and will allow you to determine that they have not only informed themselves, but that they are also committed to being part of the company. A question like this will help screen applicants who have only read the job description.
Step 4. You should prepare to summarize the applicant's responses and move on to the next question
Repeating what the applicant just said will give you a second to absorb the information and can help you rush them to answer your next question.
- You must find out if the interviewee has knowledge of the subject in question. For example, if an applicant has said “In my old company, I was managing a large project for the implementation of a system”. You could repeat the answer and continue with the next question that both of you will address, so you will get more information about the performance that this applicant would have in your company.
- You should not repeat the answer word for word, you should paraphrase it. After repeating it, you could ask the following: “Could you mention some of the main activities that you carried out when you were managing that project? And in what way do you think that experience would be related to this work? "
Step 5. Write questions that allow you to know their basic skills
In the course of the interview, you will need to assess how well a person's resume translates into real life. It has a list of questions that give you an idea of the applicant's basic skill level for the job.
- Ask the applicant to describe some of the basic responsibilities and functions of the position. Ask him what he might find difficult about the job. You should have a list of basic questions that have a correct answer.
- For example, if the applicant has indicated that one of his skills is the use of Adobe Photoshop, you could ask how long he has used it. Also, if you are knowledgeable about Photoshop and you know that it is part of the job, you could ask a specific question related to its use. You could ask the following: "If I needed to create a banner and I wanted to place an image of a person's body from another photo, how would I do it?" If the applicant can explain the process clearly and use the appropriate terms, this will show you that they have a certain skill level.
Step 6. Come up with questions that challenge your applicants' abilities
You should develop questions that allow you to determine the performance of the applicant under pressure and that provide you with information about the capacity of this person in this position.
- You could ask something simple but that can be challenging at first. For example: "Is it better to look perfect and be late or to look good and be on time?" The applicant's response will show you the type of employee they are. Also, based on what they answer, it will show you how well they know your company.
- Ask him a question about a time when he screwed up and how he solved the problem. This is an old and proper interview question. You will be able to determine how aware he is of his strengths and weaknesses, and what his problem-solving skills are.
Step 7. Ask informal, open-ended questions
Put your interpersonal skills to the test. You will have to know the personality of the applicant, as well as their dedication, loyalty, communication skills, etc. These are called the “soft skills” for the job.
- When writing your interview questions, you will want to create your questions so that there is an ebb and flow in the interview. Your first questions should get the applicant to start participating in the interview and should provide you with information on this person's story. Then you should ask questions that provide you with information about the applicant's actual skill level for the job. Now take it easy again. Write questions that allow you to know the personality of this person and ask some of them during the interview.
- You can have a list of questions that don't have much to do with the job itself. You might ask, “Who is the smartest individual you meet in person? Why?". These types of questions will assess the applicant's values and aspirations. If you have the applicant explain to you why they consider that person so intelligent, you will have a notion of the way in which they perceive others.
- Ask the applicant "What would you be happy to do every day for the rest of your professional life?" This will allow you to discover what makes this person happy at work. If the answer is repetitive, this will indicate that the person will not feel very happy. If it is a well-crafted answer and is related to work, this indicates that you could have someone loyal.
- You may ask "If you worked with us, if you were paid the salary you want, and if you loved everything about your job, what kind of offer would you consider from another company?" This question will give you an idea of what the applicant values. Based on their response, you can determine if they could buy it or if they value a love of work and company.
Step 8. Come up with some questions based on experience
The answers to the questions above could give you good information about the applicant's past experiences. However, it is a good idea to write down some questions that you can ask to find out a little more.
- You could ask the applicant to "talk about a certain accomplishment they have achieved in a previous position, which proves that they will put in the effort in this job." The person's past performance will be a good indicator of future success with you.
- Ask the applicant about a time when they have achieved professional success, but have not liked the experience and do not want to go through it again. These types of questions will give you information about how the applicant will behave when doing the job is not fun. In addition, it will allow you to see if this person understands the value of certain positions or functions.
Step 9. Finish the interview
When writing interview questions, you should set aside time at the end for the interviewee to ask questions.
- The questions that the applicant answers will be quite valuable. These questions will show you how prepared this person has been and what vision they have for the role of the position.
- In the interview, you should always thank the interviewee. Then explain the next steps you will take and when you will contact him.
Method 2 of 3: Interview a person for an article
Step 1. Research the person
You will need to gather as much information as possible before writing good questions for someone you will interview for an article, podcast, or other medium.
- Knowing this person, their accomplishments, their failures, and their personality will help you come up with solid questions that will give you the best results.
- Research your interviewee online and see if there are other articles about this person. Write a bio of your interviewee. Highlight the specific accomplishments you want to talk about.
Step 2. Write what your goal is for the interview
After you know who the person you are interviewing is, it is a good idea to write down what you are looking for in the interview.
- Your goal will allow you to come up with questions before the interview, which can steer the conversation in the right direction. Your goal will also help you stay on track if the conversation takes a different direction than your questions.
- Your goal should be a short declarative statement. It could be something as simple as "I want [interviewee's name] to explain to me the process you have gone through to write your most recent novel, and to tell me what difficulties you have faced."
Step 3. Start with a simple question
When writing questions, you should come up with a few that allow the conversation or interview to flow naturally.
- A simple question will allow the interviewee to relax and speak openly. This type of question should be easy and should not generate any controversy. You shouldn't be challenging, and you should allow the person to show off a bit of their work.
- Change the subject. Your first question should be about a topic that you can stop talking about and that does not influence the information you require for the interview.
Step 4. Ask open questions
You are going to interview a person to get information on a topic. You can do a report or informational interview with someone who works in a place that interests you. You must create a dialogue; that is, questions that the interviewee cannot answer with a simple “yes” or “no” will be useful to you.
- You can ask questions like "What was your favorite part of …?" Asking him questions about what he or she liked or disliked in relation to the topic of the interview will give you detailed information to proceed with.
- Depending on the context of the interview, you may need to put some pressure on the person. You don't have to be cruel; however, if you are interviewing for an article, you should know as much as possible. When writing your questions, look for a quote from the interviewee. Then come up with a question that allows you to ask the following: “You said [quote]. Why do you consider this to be true?
Step 5. Ask a reflection question
You will have to learn the way this person thinks and what they value. Repeat the topic and phrases. Questions that make your interviewee reflect on their past and tell a story or provide an example are great for keeping the conversation going and getting useful information.
- As you write your questions, determine if you can get any information from your interviewee's career path. You can use what you find out to guide the conversation during the interview. Then ask, “What have been some of the unexpected obstacles? And the benefits?
- You can also ask something that will make the person reflect on their past. "Remembering the beginning of your career, where do you think you will go?"
Step 6. Write questions with answers that you know
Write down some questions that you want the interviewee to answer and to which you know the answers. Then answer these questions before the interview.
- To gather as much information as possible, you will need to know what questions you will need. If you know the answers to certain questions, you probably won't have to ask these specific questions during the interview.
- When writing the interview questions, you can formulate some that are similar to those that you can answer, but that may get a different answer depending on the way you express yourself. You could then ask the interviewee one or two of these questions to compare the responses.
Step 7. Ask questions that evoke an emotional response
Like open-ended questions, you will need to come up with some that evoke an emotional response.
- As you write your interview questions, see if you can find out something about your interviewee that you can use to elicit a feeling-based response. Has this person published a book that hasn't sold well? Have you faced constant rejection and obstacles before achieving success?
- If you can't figure out anything, you should be ready to ask a quick question during the interview. Use what was discussed in the interview and write down this new question quickly so you won't forget it. Be sure to ask "why?" and how?".
- "Why did you think you would never reach your goal?", "What motivated you to keep trying when you ran into some obstacles?", "What do you think of that experience today?"
Step 8. Ask a complicated question
Review the questions you plan to ask. How many are identical or too similar? If you notice that you write the same questions many times, you could find one that is different.
Your complicated question doesn't have to be an attack on the interviewee. It can be as simple as a fun, unrelated question, like "What's your favorite food that you indulge in when you've had a bad day?"
Step 9. Reformulate the structure of your questions
Review all your questions and reformulate the structure of those that still require a little work or that are not helpful to achieve your goal.
In a real interview, you will have to use these questions to guide you, but don't think that you will have to ask each one word for word. Let the flow of the conversation help you ask the questions. Use the ones you've written whenever you can, but be ready to discard some that become irrelevant
Method 3 of 3: Interview a Colleague or Role Model
Step 1. Research the person
You will need to gather as much information as possible before writing good questions. Chances are that you already know a lot about this person, as you will be interviewing a role model. However, it is always good to do more research.
- Knowing this person, their accomplishments, their failures, and their personality will help you come up with solid questions that will give you the best results. Write a list of everything you already know about your role model.
- Research your role model online and see if there are other articles about this person. If your role model is well known, this will be very helpful. Create a biography of the interviewee. Highlight their specific accomplishments that you want to talk about.
Step 2. Write the objectives of the interview
You will interview a person you admire; therefore, it is a good idea to write down what it is you want to achieve in the interview.
- Your goal will allow you to come up with questions before the interview, which can steer the conversation in the right direction. Your goal will also help you stay on track if the conversation takes a different direction than your questions.
- Your goal should be a short declarative statement. It could be something as simple as "I want [interviewee's name] to explain to me the process you have gone through to write your most recent novel, and to tell me what difficulties you have faced." Your goal should be a statement that indicates why you want to interview your role model.
Step 3. Start with a simple question
When writing questions, you should come up with a few that allow the conversation or interview to flow naturally. You will interview someone you admire; Therefore, you will need to come up with a question that can be easily answered and that sets the mood for the interview.
A simple question will allow the interviewee to relax and speak openly. This type of question should be easy and should not generate any controversy. It shouldn't be challenging, and it should allow your role model to show off a bit of their work
Step 4. Ask questions about strategies, processes, and methods for achieving goals
Make a list of questions related to what you have learned about this person and what you want to know about your role model. You'll need to start with a list of questions that can provide basic information on the topic when your role model answers them.
For example, if your role model is a doctor, you may need to come up with a list of questions about the years of education it took to become a doctor. What subjects have you had to study? How did you stay on track with your goal of becoming a doctor?
Step 5. Use your knowledge to come up with specific questions
Since you know this person, you will have to write down some specific questions about their life, their past experiences, their goals, their achievements, and even their failures.
- As you write your questions, reflect on what you know about this person. You can elaborate questions that allow you to deepen and that are not just generic.
- You have gotten rid of the generic questions. Now you should use questions that evoke emotional responses and that provide you with information.
Step 6. Make open questions
Review the questions you have written and make sure that none of them can be answered with a "yes" or a "no."
- Ask open questions. You are going to interview a person to obtain information on a topic and to resemble him. Have a conversation.
- You can ask questions like "What was your favorite part of …?" Asking him questions about what he or she liked or disliked in relation to the topic of the interview will give you detailed information to proceed with.
- When writing your questions, put yourself in the shoes of your role model. Imagine that in the future, a person who admires you does an interview with you. Consider the types of topics you would like to talk about. What would you like to share and what kinds of stories and advice would you provide?
- After imagining yourself in an interview as the role model and reflecting on what you would say, write down some questions that you can answer to get similar answers.
Advice
- Don't have a problem with silence. If you ask a question and the person can't figure out what to answer, stay seated and wait. Usually we all want to continue, as silence is uncomfortable. As an interviewer, you have to get used to it.
- Let the interviewee do the talking, rather than talking too much on your own, unless they ask you specific questions. There are too many interviewers who talk a lot about the characteristics of the organization, the challenges, etc.
- An interview should last 30 to 45 minutes. Don't overwhelm the applicant with questions. The maximum number of questions is usually 7 or 8.
- If the applicant is very talkative or tends to drift off topic, and you don't want to waste a lot of time, just look for an opportunity (a pause in your conversation or the possible end of the story) and say, “Very good. Thanks". Then ask the next question.