Pre-Employment Interview Questions

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  An important part of the hiring process is to make sure you ask cogent pre-employment interview questions. A set of good interview questions helps you to understand the candidate's background, and allows you to see how the candidate responds in a business environment. Even the non-business questions are essential to gauging whether or not the candidate will fit in with the rest of your staff.
  
  

Do You have Proof that You Can Work Legally in the United States?

• When you ask about a candidate's legal ability to work in the United States, you need to ask if he can furnish proof that he is a resident of the country or can legally work in the U.S., according to the Career Services department of the State University of Montana Billings. Do not ask questions that force you to take the candidate's word for their legal ability to work. Avoid questions such as "are you a U.S. citizen?" or "can you legally work in the U.S.?"
  
  

Why did You Leave Your Last Job?

• Be sure you give the candidate a chance to explain their answer to this question, if necessary. In some cases, the answer to this question could be a positive answer such as "looking for career advancement," according to employment expert Frances Bolles Haynes. In other cases, you may get an ambiguous answer, which could indicate that the candidate was fired or let go from his last job. Reassure the candidate that you are interested in an honest answer to help you better understand his career choices. Just because the candidate was fired from his last position does not mean you should discount him as a potential candidate for your company. Listen to the reason and determine if you are comfortable with the answer.
  
  

What Do You Do in Your Free Time?

• A candidate can sometimes be nervous during a pre-employment interview. A question about their personal interests can help to calm the candidate and allow you to learn something about his personal life, according to small business expert Adam Fusfeld. Ask if the candidate has a favorite sports team or if he has a hobby that he would like to talk about. Try to let the candidate know that you are interested in the person as well as the professional.
  
  

Tell Me about Something You are Proud of in Your Career

• The question about career accomplishments can help you to learn many characteristics about the candidate. If he neglects to acknowledge his manager or co-workers, then he may not work well in a team. If he cannot explain his accomplishments to your satisfaction, then he may be fabricating a little. On the other hand, a well-documented accomplishment that is relevant to your industry and includes accolades for the people he worked with indicates a candidate that could be right for your company.
  
  

What's Your Salary Range?

• With this question, you want to see if the candidate took the time to research his value within the industry and is willing to let you know what he feels his services are worth. his is a confidence question and a question that indicates that the candidate took the time to prepare for the interview properly.