The 12 questions you need to ask job candidates

The 12 questions you need to ask job candidatesWhen you hear the words bewerbungsgesprch prep, youre probably thinking of a candidate getting ready to go in and interview for a new job. But the prep is just as important on the other side. Youre trying to fill a position with the best person possible, so you cant just waltz in and wing it. Otherwise, it could be a waste of your time (and the candidates) if youre not asking the right questions for the job youre trying to fill. And as the interviewer, the onus is going to be on you to keep the interview moving forward. The best way to do that is to outline your questions ahead of time so that theyre ready to goand you wont find yourself drawing a blank after you say, Thanks for coming in Have a seat.If youre having trouble coming up with the questions you want to ask or you want to add some new ones to your repertoire, read on to look at some of the top questions interviewers ask candidates.The Blue Sky QuestionsBlue sky questions, or q uestions that require a candidate to go off-resume in order to provide a thoughtful answer, deal with more abstract ideas. Most candidates know their resume points by heart and have a set of talking points ready to go. But blue sky questions can show you how a candidate thinks and reacts on their feet, or what their true priorities are.Where do you see yourself in five years?The five-year-plan. Its an evergreen but a goodie, because theres no better way to get a sense of what the candidates ambitions are. If you get a deer-in-headlights look and an answer that shows your interviewee clearly hasnt considered this, that could be a worrying sign. On the other hand, a candidate who doesnt have to think too much before outlining their next steps is clearly prepared and has a vision in mind.Tell me about yourself.This one probably wont reveal any earth-shattering information about the candidate, but its a great ice-breaker. It can set the tone for the rest of the interview.