Want to find the best candidates for your company? Sometimes it’s a matter of asking the right questions. Resumes, cover letters and references will give you a good measure of a candidate, but getting answers straight from the candidates can tell you who will really excel. So what should you ask?
- “How will you identify problems and opportunities on the job?” Most questions ask what candidates have done; this one asks what they will do, specifically what they’ll do for you at your place of business. How will they solve real-world problems and what sort of creativity will they use to spot the good and the bad, as well as how to approach both. This question has the candidate utilize their skills right away on the job, assessing how quickly and skillfully they can jump in.
- “How do you demonstrate adaptability when dramatic change is needed?” If you work in a fast-paced industry, you want to know how a candidate will respond to a potentially volatile and chaotic environment. Suggest a major change that will necessitate adaptation and ask them to take you through the steps they’d go through to adapt. Their response will tell you if they can roll with the punches and still work effectively.
- “What did you learn in your previous role, and what do you hope to continue to learn more about in the future?” You want candidates who see the importance of continuing education with regard to their industry and how to work well within it because this means they’ll do the same while at your company. A thorough answer also speaks to a desire to be the best at their position. A candidate who cannot come up with an answer to the first part of the question should give you pause and a desire to dig a little deeper as to why they feel they learned nothing.
- “What capabilities do you bring to this job?” Here’s a chance for a candidate to go beyond the resume, to add the details that a one- or two-page document cannot. Ask them about knowledge, education, experience and skills — you may want to have them list their top five capabilities that make them a top performer for this position. Listen to how they connect them to the details of the position: Have they familiarized themselves with the job description and figured out just how and why they’d fit best? As they speak, see if you also think they’d not only be a good fit but be the best fit, someone who can bring something great to the company.
You want to find not only good candidates, but the best for your place of business. These four questions will help you make your choice. Partner with the medical recruiting experts at Medical Professionals today!
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