Candidates often arrive at interviews with rehearsed answers to common questions. While these responses can be helpful, they don’t always provide a genuine glimpse into who the person is or what motivates them. Instead of sticking to the typical questions, why not ask ones that dig deeper? The goal isn’t to stump your interviewee but to spark genuine conversations, uncover their values, and build connections.
Here are five creative questions to really get to know your candidates:
What do you think about when you’re alone in your car? (Glassdoor)
This question provides insight into what occupies your candidate’s mind and what’s important to them. Most people enjoy talking about themselves, and this question allows them to open up in a relaxed way. It’s a great icebreaker and can leave a positive first impression.
Why it matters: Understanding what your candidate thinks about in their downtime can reveal their passions and interests, helping you assess if they align with your company’s values.
What do you work toward in your free time? (Quora)
This question sheds light on your candidate’s drive and ambition. Are they working toward personal goals or spending time developing hobbies? If a candidate lacks engagement outside of work, it may reflect their tendencies in the workplace.
Why it matters: Free time activities often reflect values. Learning about what drives your candidates personally can help you gauge how well they align with your company culture?
What’s the last thing you watched on TV and why did you choose to watch it? (FlexJobs)
This seemingly casual question can provide deeper insights into a candidate’s values, interests, and personality. It also serves as an excellent icebreaker and can uncover shared interests, helping to build rapport.
Why it matters: Understanding their media preferences may reveal what inspires or motivates them and how they approach decision-making
Tell me something about your last job, other than money, that would have inspired you to stay.. (Quora)
This question highlights what your candidate values in a workplace, beyond just salary. Are they motivated by meaningful work, team dynamics, growth opportunities, or other factors?
Why it matters: Learning what drives them at work can help you determine whether your company offers the right environment and benefits to keep them engaged.
If you don’t get this job, what’s your backup plan? (Quora)
This question delves into your candidate’s planning abilities, resourcefulness, and adaptability. Do they have a clear strategy for their career, or are they simply winging it?
Why it matters: Candidates with well-thought-out plans demonstrate initiative, drive, and a focus on long-term goals.
Insight and Connection
The best thing about these questions is that there’s no right or wrong answer. In fact, there’s not even an implied right or wrong answer for these questions, which ensures that your candidates are truly winging it and answering from a genuine place instead of with answers they read are good responses or with what they think you want to hear.
It also gives you the chance to present yourself as a company that’s also concerned with culture and shows your candidates that while your main objectives are to get things done, there’s still time for a human connection among all the ‘business’ happening.
So many topics surround what kind of interview questions are asked and how prospective employees can successfully answer them. When you ask a question that’s outside of the norm you’ll gain insight into your candidate’s creativity, ability to think on the fly, and their genuineness. What better way to understand what kind of candidate you have on your hands and how they’ll complement your company culture than to learn about what makes them, them?
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