When you’re new to interviewing, or you’ve just had the same job of interviewing for many years, sometimes you’re not sure of the questions you should be asking. Because of this, sometimes you ask the wrong questions, which results in a mess of bad employees and bad choices when it comes to hiring. To avoid situations like this, make sure you don’t ask the questions below.
Have People You Know Worked Here in the Past?
Sure, this question seems very harmless up front, and it often appears on job applications as well. However, it’s not all that relevant to the candidate’s competency or ability to work at your company, so there’s no reason to ask it. If you really want to know how they found your job posting, then ask that instead. Don’t make the candidate think that they will be evaluated on other people’s performances.
What Do You Do in Your Spare Time?
Though this question is usually meant to be benign, it never ends up that way. Sometimes candidates will struggle to come up with something that doesn’t sound like they’re boring and that’s still honest and appropriate for a job interview. It’s best just to avoid asking a question at all, especially since what an interviewee does when they’re not working isn’t going to affect what they do while they’re at work. Of course, if your job requires child experience or someone who understands being a father, asking about home life in a limited way can be helpful.
Always remember what the object of an interview is: it's not to make small-talk, or to get to know the candidate; it's to determine whether they'll be a good fit for the position they're applying for. Focus on figuring that out, and you won't go wrong.
