5 questions to ask your next hire

Joseph Lalonde Feb. 12, 2020

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Hiring new talent is exhilarating and scary at the same time. You have the ability to bring new blood onto the team. Your hope is this new team member will help your organization thrive.

Then there’s the fear. Fear the team member won’t fit your organization’s culture. Or that his skill set may not be what you need.

These two emotions clash and can bring anxiety to the hiring process. However, with proper vetting, you can discover whether a potential new hire will be a good fit.

There are certain questions you can ask of people to discover who they really are and what they can bring to your team. Knowing the right questions to ask of a new hire can be your saving grace.

Yet so many people don’t know the right questions to ask. Or they skim over the answers. You’re not like that. You want to know what questions to ask.

So, let’s take a look at five questions to ask your next new hire.

1. How do you handle a situation where you don’t know the answer?

This is a great question to ask a new hire because their answer will show you how they handle challenges and the unknown. Listen to their answer. See if they share a situation they’ve been in where they didn’t know the answer and had to discover it.

Did they go to other team members and ask for help? This could be a sign they’re a team player. Did they go to Google and search for an answer? This could be a sign they’re willing to do research to figure out the answer. Or did they push through the problem until they got an answer? This could be a sign they are headstrong and unwilling to seek help.

Each answer reveals something different about the candidate

2. What would your spouse (or close friend) say is your greatest weakness?

Sharing what your greatest weakness is can be scary. The new hire may be scared to share what they see as their weakness.

However, switching the question to involve their spouse or someone close to them can reveal hidden truths. By looking through another person’s eyes, your new hire may be willing to share more than he would if you only asked about his weakness.

3. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Too often we hire people who are workaholics. These people are unable to de-stress and find a way to relax. While many would see this as a sign of a strong work ethic, it also is a sign they don’t know how to disconnect and recharge.

Make sure your new hire knows they need to have hobbies outside of the office. They can’t work 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every night and be successful. They have to have hobbies.

4. How do you like to work?

With the explosion of open offices, private spaces for private people have become sparse. These open office areas are a drain on those who like to work in peace and quiet.

Does the new hire like to work in a work environment like you have in your office? Will things need to change to accommodate their work style?

These are questions you need to be asking and finding out before you bring someone onto the team. The working environment can make or break an employee.

5. What would you do for a Klondike bar?

Well, maybe not this question specifically. But having a fun question in the interview/hiring process helps break the ice and opens people up.

Interviewing and joining a new organization is a challenge. For you and for the new hire. Help them come in with a smile.

Ask them what they would do for a Klondike bar or to share their favorite movie. Find something you can have fun and joke with them about.

Photo source: istock 

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Joseph Lalonde is an award-winning leadership blogger and hosted the Answers From Leadership podcast. He desires to see 20-somethings step into their God-ordained roles as leaders. Previously, on the E3 staff and currently serving in the Catalyst youth ministry of Gateway Church, Joseph has mentored many students and has seen their lives changed through this teaching. His mission is to help equip leaders with the knowledge and information to boost their leadership to the next level. This article was first published on JMLalonde.com. Used with permission Learn More »

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