If you have an independent or family run business, you probably have around two up to five people running it with you. And you might be comfortable with that. After all, these are the people you trust. But what happens when the business starts to grow, as any healthy business should?

A growing business is going to need a more hands-on-deck. You are eventually going to need more people in order for you serve that ever-growing client base. You are going to have to start hiring.

I read an article from The Muse about “3 Questions Amazon’s CEO Asks Before Hiring Anyone”[1]. You should read it to get more insight about the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos’, hiring goals and see if they fit your company culture.

In the meantime, here are 5 questions that might help you get started in drafting your own interview questions. Keep them in mind and tailor them to fit your company’s needs.

How did you learn about us?
Aside from the obvious thing that this question will tell you about how the potential candidate learned about the job opening, this questions also tells you how much they know about the industry and the position they are applying for. It is a gateway question that can seriously weed out those who are just looking for a job and those who want to build a career.

Can you tell me about a situation where you were particularly challenged and how did you resolve it?
This question tells you what potential candidates consider an obstacle or challenges and what their strategy is at resolving them. This allows the candidate to show off their problem-solving skills. It simultaneously showcases their strengths and weaknesses.

To get a more comprehensive picture of how the potential candidate behaves, ask them these follow up questions:
● How did that work out for you?
● If you could do it all again, would you do anything differently?

Can you tell me about a time when you were called upon to take a leadership role?
This question will tell you if the potential candidate can take on leadership roles and how they work with teams. It can tell you if they are independent workers, team players, or if they can delegate tasks effectively. It also shows you their communication style.

How do you get over a tough day?
This may sound like a question to ask on dates or when chatting with friends, but if you throw this question into the mix, you might get to learn about the potential candidates’ strategy for work-life balance and their level of motivation and resilience.

Can you tell me about a situation when you had to adjust to the way someone else works?
This question will show you the potential candidate’s adaptability and willingness to move within roles.

These questions aren’t the end all and be all of the interview questions. You can add or tweak them to fit your hiring goals.

What are your go-to interview questions? Share them with us in the comments. Stay humble and hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. The Help

References:
1. https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-questions-amazons-ceo-asks-before-hiring-anyone