Are you an employer? Involved in the recruitment process? 

Getting the right formula for your interviews is difficult. 

Different companies have different methods, promoting their own secret recruitment sauce. 

At Conspicuous, we respect our clients’ and partners’ right to interview how they believe best fits their interest. That said, if you are asking any of the following questions during job interviews, you might be scaring away potentially great candidates, leaving your project under resourced.

So here are FOUR dangerous interview questions you might want to stop asking.

Question One: Why do you want to work here?

Why is it bad?

The candidate might not actually know if they want to work at your company yet. That’s why they’re at the interview in the first place. Do they suit your business? Do you appeal to them? Time will tell.

A better question:

What attracted you to the role? 

Question Two: What’s your greatest weakness?

Why is it bad?

Weaknesses are subjective, and ubiquitous. Everybody has them. Yet somehow acknowledging them symbolises defeatism. So candidates inevitably say unhelpful things like 

“Well, I’m just too punctual”.

Unhelpful. Dishonest. 

Next. 

A better question:

Why do you think you’re suitable for this job?

Question Three: What would your last boss say about you?

Why is it bad?

It is either implying; what makes your last boss so special? Or asking a candidate to talk about the shortfalls of your last boss.

A better question:

What else would you like to know about the job?

Question Four: Why should we hire you?

Why is it bad?

Again, expect rote hyperbole. The candidate doesn’t have a frame of reference for why they are better than the other candidates as they haven’t met them.  

A better question:

How would this job enhance your career?

If you'd like to speak with a member of our Microsoft Dynamics recruitment team, [if uk_office] get in touch with us on +44 (0)1483 233 000.[/if] [if us_office] call us on +1 646 889 1920. [/if]