17 Interview Questions You Should Be Asking

Devin Peterson

An interview is useless if you can’t verify the validity of the applicants’ statements. Hook them up to a lie detector test for complete confidence in their answers. Check out this Polygraph.

1. I Noticed You Were On Time, Are You Always Trying To Out-Do Your Boss?

The last thing you want to do is hire someone better than you.

2. What is the Biggest Cause of Your Failure as a Person?

Are they one to accept responsibility or blame others? This will also provide you with something to use as motivation.

3. What Are Your Most Interesting Hobbies?

Yawn as they answer the question to measure their tolerance, then interrupt with, “Sorry, I must have read the question wrong. What are your MOST interesting hobbies?”

4. If I Called Your Ex Right Now and Asked What You Could Improve On, What Would They Say?

(follow up) Can we call them? If yes, actually call them. If they answer, make small talk and pretend to hit it off and arrange a date.

5. What is Your Weakest Strength?

This forces the candidate to express something they are good at but not good enough at.

6. What is Your Strongest Weakness?

This forces them to come to terms with other skills they may lack but can be tuned to eventually be not a weakness.

7. Why Wouldn’t You Be Interested in Working For Our Company?

Ask them how they REALLY feel.

8. Where Do You See ME in 5 Years?

This questions prompts them to judge you and forces them to imagine being in your shoes. You may gain useful insight from their response.

9. If I Hired Someone Better Than You, What Will They Be Able To Offer That YOU Can’t?

(Follow ups) – Do You Know Such a Person? How Can I Contact Them?

10. How Would You Handle an Unattractive Customer?

This is a good way to test their honesty. If they say “the same as an attractive one”, they are statistically lying to you.

11. Did You Apply At Any Of Our Competitors?

If ‘yes’, consider creating a double agent position within your company.

12. If I wrote a Report About You, What Would it Say?

Call them out on everything they say.

13. What is Your Favorite Website?

Keep asking until they finally reveal a porn site.

14. What Makes You… (*pause briefly and FART*), Uncomfortable?

Stare them dead in the eye with a straight face.

15. If You Woke Up and Had 10 Unread Emails But Could Only Answer 9 of Them, How Would You Decide Which Ones to Ignore?

16. If You Had a Machine That Produced $100 Per Day, But Cost $4 Per KiloWatt Hour to Run and You Had To Claim 23% of the Income on Taxes and Required Monthly Maintenance in a Range of $50-$400 Each Time, but You Received a 10% Coupon for Every 4 Services as Long as You Subscribed to a Newsletter. Additionally, a New Model is Expected to Be Released in 4-6 Years That is More Efficient and Costs Less. How Much Would You Sell This Pen For?

After the question, fumble around looking for a pen and realize you don’t actually have one (except the one in your ear) and then rephrase the question to ask how much you would sell this “paper” for.

17. What Was Your Name Again?… You Need To Work On Your Personal Branding More…