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By Sanjeev Kumar
Founding Attorney

What questions should I ask a job applicant?

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas recently conducted its biannual business survey and the results were encouraging for local employers and employees. In response to the survey, more than half of the 350 Texas business executives questioned said that they are planning to increase employment over the next six months to one year. This is the first time that more than half of all employers indicated they would be hiring since the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas started the survey seven years ago. If you are an employer that plans to hire in the near future, review our list of important questions to ask your potential new employees compiled by the business law attorneys at The Kumar Law Firm PLLC.

Interviewing as an Art

Interviewing potential job applicants is a challenge for many small business owners. It can be hard to gauge whether an employee is a right fit for your position when you likely will only have a few minutes to spend with them. You can start by preparing yourself for the interview by reviewing the applicant’s resume and any other information provided in the job application. Consider the following questions to ask during the interview:

  1. What professional achievement are you most proud of? Asking an applicant about their biggest professional achievement will give you a better idea of where the applicant’s true strengths lie. The question is usually well met by the interviewee, who wants to highlight his or her achievements, and can be a good ice breaker.

  2. What interests you most in this position? You want to hire a candidate that is truly interested in the job position you seek to fill. By asking the applicant about why they applied for the job, you can prove how well they researched the company and their motivations for applying, allowing you to hire an excited employee.

  3. How would you describe your working style? The ideal work environment is diverse with employees of all different working styles. You can ask an applicant about his or her working style to decide whether the workplace will benefit from the new employee.

  4. Tell me about a major obstacle you faced and how you overcame it. All employees will face challenges. You want to hire an applicant that knows how to overcome issues and obstacles. With this question, you will also learn about the applicant’s problem solving style.

Contact a business law attorney for help with successfully hiring new applicants and starting your employment relationship off right with an employee handbook.

About the Author
Sanjeev Kumar is the founder and principal at the Kumar Law Firm, which provides a wide range of legal services to entrepreneurs and business owners in the area of business & corporate law and intellectual property along with related areas of interest to clients such as business succession planning, wealth preservation through estate planning, and alternate dispute resolution.