When trying to determine whether a candidate will meet expectations, ask real life questions and give them a few moments to think about their answer before giving you a response. These questions will help you make an informed decision.
- Have you ever been to our restaurant?
- What do you know about the restaurants' products or services?
- Why are you searching for a new position?
- When could you start working?
- Are there specific days or times of day when you are not able to work? Do you have a shift preference?
- Do you need to work a certain amount of hours (FT/PT)? Is there a limit to the number of hours you can work?
- Is the pay rate for this position within your acceptable range?
- What particular skills or experiences make you the best match for this position?
- Are there certain tasks associated with this position that you enjoy more than others?
- What aspects of your previous position did you find most professionally challenging?
- What would your most difficult past customer say you could do to improve service delivery?
- What areas of training would your past supervisor say you would benefit from the most?
- What kinds of professional development would make you a more-effective worker?
- What skills have you recently gained or strengthened?
- For you personally, what are the most important characteristics of a good manager?
- What motivates you in a job?
- Give me an example of a time when you were faced with a challenging customer or co-worker and how you handled the situation.
- What questions do you have for me?
RED FLAGS
- complaining about or placing blame on circumstances or on other people or past employers
- frequently changing jobs
DO NOT ASK ABOUT
- Birth dates
- Graduation dates
- Education level (unless a particular degree or level is reasonably needed to successfully perform the job)
- Military discharge information
- Race
- Citizenship (You can ask if the person is authorized to work in the United States)
- Maiden name or marital status (including salutation: Miss, Ms. Mrs.)
- Social security number
- Salary history
- Criminal history