Taking time at the beginning of the process to accurately and specifically scope the role is beneficial at the interview stage as well. By conducting a deep dive into the job description, it becomes possible to create highly specific and effective interview questions.

Whether assessing technical skills, behavioral traits, or cultural fit, each part of the interview should have a specific purpose. Is the goal simply to validate the candidate’s qualifications, or is the focus on understanding how they think, solve problems, and manage challenges?

Clarifying the purpose of the interview is essential:

• Assess qualifications: Are they technically sound for the role?
• Evaluate experience: Does their background align with the job’s responsibilities?
• Cultural fit: Do their values align with the company’s mission and culture?
• Problem-solving ability: How do they approach challenges or setbacks?

The questions crafted should reflect these priorities to collect meaningful insights. An interview should provide a holistic picture of the candidate, not just an assessment of their resume.

Behavioral vs. Situational Questions

Asking behavioral and situational questions allows for an evaluation of a candidate’s problem-solving approach and overall initiative.

A common challenge is distinguishing between behavioral and situational questions and understanding how to use them effectively.

• Behavioral questions focus on past experiences: “Tell me about a time when an operational implementation was led. What challenges arose, and how were they overcome?” These questions provide insight into how candidates have approached similar challenges in the past and how they might approach them again.
• Situational questions are forward-looking: “How would a situation be handled where a key project deadline is at risk due to resource shortages?” These hypothetical scenarios gauge a candidate’s problem-solving skills in real time.

To measure success effectively, behavioral questions should be based on key competencies such as initiative, leadership, or problem-solving. Follow-up questions can further assess how candidates evaluate their own performance: “What metrics were used to evaluate the success of that project?”

Role-Specific Competencies

If the role requires a highly technical professional or specialist, the interview should focus on assessing hard skills and expertise. This can be accomplished through technical questions, problem-solving scenarios, or role-specific assessments. For example:

• A Controller might be asked to explain their approach to financial reporting and compliance, or how they have improved the month-end close process.
• A CFO might be asked how budgeting processes and financial forecasting have been managed, or how they communicate financial results cross-functionally to drive profitability.

Every role has unique skills and experiences essential for success. If hiring for a position that involves operational implementation, interview questions should explore relevant experience: “Describe experience with operational implementations. How were challenges overcome during team rollout?”

Crafting effective interview questions ensures a comprehensive evaluation of a candidate’s qualifications, experience, and cultural fit. By focusing on technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and alignment with company values, interviews can generate the right insights to support well-informed hiring decisions.