9 interview questions to help you identify top talent

Great organisations have one thing in common: they attract, engage, retain and delight high-performing, high-potential talent. 

Never underestimate the impact of getting recruitment right. Good recruitment is a strategic process. An effective job interview is critical to building a team that drives success at your organisation.

An interview provides an opportunity to uncover insights about a person’s past performance and future potential. At Heart Talent, we interview hundreds of people every year, which means that we’re always developing our skills and learning new ways to find incredible talent for our clients. 

Based on recent research about the future of work, we’ve identified 9 key areas you should focus on if you want to hire the best people. These questions can be used and adapted for any role.

ADAPTABILITY: What has been the biggest change you’ve faced in the workplace? How did it impact you, and how did you adapt?

Change is constant. No matter where you work, we’ve all had to adapt to changing social, economic and business needs in recent years, so it’s not surprising that adaptability is consistently named as the most important skill hiring managers are looking for. 

COLLABORATION: What has been one of your favourite experiences working in a team? Why was it so great?

Hiring people who can work effectively with others is essential for success. When done well, collaboration can be powerful. Asking questions about teamwork will give you an indication as to how the person works and if they will fit in with the rest of your organisation.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Tell me about a time when one of your colleagues was clearly having a bad day. What did you do?

Understanding a person's emotional intelligence, or EQ, will give you an insight into their levels of empathy and integrity, as well as their ability to connect with others. In teams, an ability to understand, respect and work with a diverse range of people is critical.

PROBLEM-SOLVING: Tell me about the toughest problem or challenge you’ve had to solve at work in the last 12 months.

Problem-solving is a core skill of high performers. Finding people who can connect the dots and come up with solutions can be a game changer, not just for your team but also for your clients and stakeholders. In an interview, it’s important to test a candidate's ability to analyse situations, think critically and make decisions.

PRIORITISATION: Describe a time when you had to work hard to organise your time and juggle several priorities. How did you do it, and what was the outcome?

No matter what role you’re hiring, being able to juggle priorities is pretty much a given. How well people manage their time can have a big impact on productivity, outcomes and morale at your organisation, as well as helping to optimise workflow.

LEADERSHIP: What do you believe are the 3 most important ingredients for effective leadership?

If you’re interviewing for a junior role, you may think this question is a little odd. But leadership isn’t just about leading people. It’s also about taking initiative, thinking creatively and bringing out the potential of others, regardless of where an employee stands in the professional hierarchy.

SERVICE MINDSET: Who are your most important clients or stakeholders? What problem do you help them solve?

We all help or serve others at work, from clients and customers to internal and external stakeholders. Understanding and serving the needs of others impacts business outcomes and individual job performance, so it’s important to know how well your potential hire can serve people. 

GROWTH MINDSET: What is your proudest career achievement so far?

Hiring someone who can do the job today but also has the ability to grow with your organisation is the holy grail of talent management. Hiring people with a growth mindset can be extremely powerful in ensuring that your team never stagnates.

CULTURE ADD: Describe the last time you felt energised and truly satisfied at work. What were you doing? 

Hiring people who easily gel with the team is important. If your new employee can add to and enhance your organisation as it grows, even better! Diversity in teams has been shown to improve creativity, morale and business performance. While having the same values is key, diversity will help drive your organisation forward.

Looking for more interview advice?

If 9 questions aren’t enough for you, we’ve developed an entire eBook to help you interview well. Discover 44 questions to identify high-performing talent now!