When posting a position on a job board or hiring site, the goal is to get the best candidate possible to fill the position. So why are so many interviewers still asking ineffective questions?

If you are using a script or list of approved questions, chances are you aren’t hiring the best candidate for the job. Better interviews lead to better hires and teams that work well together, which should be the point. Right?

Bad Questions Don’t Tell You Anything

Asking an interviewee to “tell me about yourself” is going to get you the verbal version of what’s already on their resume. Questions like ”Why did you leave your last job?” are going to yield Google-able answers. If the interviewee and interviewer are just regurgitating the same generic questions and answers, what’s the purpose of the interview?

Interviewers who ask ineffective questions fail to assess soft skills and find character weaknesses. What’s more, interviewer bias can come heavily into play. But asking the right questions will help your team make a better, more informed decision.

Better Questions Give You Better Information

Thomas Edison was known to ask more than 150 questions during a job interview, and places like Google and Amazon use questions designed to test creativity and problem solving. Throwing in a few oddball questions to see how a candidate responds under duress can give you information about how they think and whether they can handle crunch time.

You’re supposed to ask questions that will determine the interviewee’s fit, skills, and values while ascertaining whether this person will fill your organization’s needs. So, rather than asking a potential candidate why they left a previous job, ask why they are interested in the job at your firm. This will enable you to see how much research they did about your company. Hiring someone who wants to work specifically for your organization is going to be far more successful than making an offer to someone who sent out 1,000 resumes and read a book about how to answer interview questions. This question also will provide insight into the specific talents and skills a candidate has, so you can better determine whether they are a good fit.

More importantly, however, is hiring by committee rather than using a single individual to make crucial hiring decisions. When one person is in charge of hiring, biases come into greater play than when a group must reach a decision together. Including someone from every department that will have to work with this candidate to participate in the interview can give the whole team added insight about cultural fit as well as lead to heightened inclusivity and diversity in hires.

It’s Time to Hire Better

Fostering inclusivity in diversity in the workplace starts with better interviews. Think of it as an audition to join your team rather than a chore that you need to do so you can check a box. Meaningful interviews give you more meaningful hires, which leads to success for everyone. Learn more about better interviews from the infographic below.

Source: Human Resources MBA