As one of the leading staffing agencies in Houston, TX, Murray Resources knows that today’s top job candidates are savvy and want to work for companies that are one step ahead. But if you ask boilerplate, standard questions during the job interview, it’s going to reflect poorly on your company.

Think of it from the candidate’s perspective: Employers expect employees to stay-up-date and in-the-know about important issues; so why are you asking the exact same interview questions you did 10 years ago? Enough said.

To help you, here are some questions to avoid – and what can you ask instead:

1. Tell me about yourself.

This is such an open-ended and vague question and really serves no purpose. If you want to know something about a candidate, then ask them specifically.

For instance, if you want to learn more about their leadership role in an industry association, ask about that. If you want to learn more about how they got started in the industry, ask that directly. Skip the “tell me about yourself” intro question; it simply wastes time.

2. Where do you see yourself in five years?

While you might think this question uncovers a motivated candidate, it really begs for a canned answer. Most people don’t know where they’ll be in five years, let alone in five weeks.

A better question to ask would be what they hope to accomplish if they got the job, or what aspects of the job interests them most.

3. What’s your biggest strength / weakness?

Again, this is another question that candidates expect and prepare a canned answer for. However, if you’re going to ask this question, then be sure to follow up.

When a candidate talks about a strength, then ask them to give you a specific example of a project that enabled them to put that strength to use. If it’s a weakness, then ask them how they plan on improving. You really need to dig deeper for true insight on these issues.

4. Describe a project you recently completed.

This question again is too vague to really solicit the kind of useful information that will help you make a sound hiring decision. Instead, get specific.

If they listed a certain accomplishment on their resume, then ask them about it – e.g. “What are you most proud of about the ABC project you mentioned on your resume?” Also be sure to ask follow up questions, like “What would you have done differently?” and “What did you learn from the project?”

If you need more help hiring smart, savvy candidates, let Murray Resources know. As one of the leading staffing agencies in Houston, TX, we use both traditional and high tech methods to source, screen and hire talent for Houston area companies.

Contact us today if you’d like to learn more about how we can help you.