Welcome to the exciting world of interviews!

Whether you're an experienced HR professional or just starting to interview candidates, understanding the different types of interview questions can greatly enhance your hiring process. So let's explore the main types of questions, explaining their differences and the best scenarios to use them.

1. Open-ended Questions - used most of the interviewing time to explore candidate responses and assess behaviors, soft skills, and technical skills.

1. Purpose: To encourage candidates to share more about themselves, providing insights into their personality, motivations, and thought processes.
2. Examples:
3. “Please describe in detail your last job experience.”
4. “Describe a situation that motivated you to perform well at work.”
5. Best Used: At the beginning of an interview to break the ice, or during the discussion to get a broader sense of the candidate’s character and fit for the company culture.

Tips: You can use these questions during interviews with aggressive or evasive candidates if you encounter these typologies.

2. Closed-ended Questions - used to validate or clarify candidate responses and to find quick information.

1. Purpose: To gather specific information quickly and efficiently.
2. Examples:
3. “Have you ever managed a team before?”
4. “Do you have experience with project management software?”
5. Best Used: When you need straightforward, factual answers, often useful for clarifying details.

Tips: You can use these questions at the beginning and during interviews with emotional or talkative candidates if you encounter these typologies.

3. Behavioral Questions (best to be addressed as open-ended)

1. Purpose: To understand how candidates have handled situations in the past, which can be indicative of future behavior.
2. Examples:
3. “Tell me about a time when you had to manage a difficult project.”
4. “Please give an example of how you resolved a conflict in your team?”
5. Best Used: When you need insights into a candidate’s past experiences and how they align with the job requirements.

2. Situational Questions (best to be addressed as open-ended)

1. Purpose: To assess how candidates might handle hypothetical, job-related situations. You can ask these questions when the candidate doesn't encounter a real-life situation.
2. Examples:
3. “Let's say you were given a tight deadline on a project. Please describe what actions you would take. What would you specifically do?
4. “Tell me what you would do with an underperforming team member.”
5. Best Used: When evaluating problem-solving skills or a candidate's response to a new situation.

3. Competency-based questions (best to be addressed as open-ended)

1. Purpose: To determine if candidates possess the skills and competencies necessary for the job.
2. Examples:
3. “Describe a time when you demonstrated leadership skills.”
4. “Tell me how you use your analytical skills to solve a complex problem.”
5. Best Used: When the role requires specific competencies and skills that need to be validated.

4. Technical Questions (can be both open or close-ended)

1. Purpose: To evaluate a candidate’s technical knowledge and expertise in a specific field.
2. Examples:
3. “Please explain the process of normalization in databases.”
4. “Tell me at least three key differences between Java and Python.”
5. "For how many years do you have a driving license?"
6. "On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you speak English?"
7. Best Used: For roles that require specialized technical knowledge or expertise.

Using a combination of these question types can create a comprehensive picture of your candidates. Tailor your approach to the specific needs of the role and the dynamics of your team.

Happy interviewing!

Explore additional tips and strategies - How many soft skills to assess