60 Strategic Interview Questions To Ask Candidates (+Answer)

As an interviewer, one of the most critical tasks is identifying the right candidate to bring value to your organisation. This requires a strategic approach to interviewing that goes beyond just evaluating a candidate’s technical skills and experience.

To assess a candidate’s potential and fit for your company, you must ask strategic interview questions that delve into their personality, values, problem-solving skills, and leadership abilities. Today, we will share practical strategic interview questions to help you identify the best candidates and build a solid and talented team for your organisation.

By asking these questions, you can gain deeper insights into a candidate’s thinking, decision-making, and overall potential for success.

In This Article

Strategic Interview Questions To Ask Candidates

Can you share a personal or professional trait that sets you apart but is not reflected on your resume?

The purpose of asking a candidate to share a personal or professional trait that sets them apart, but is not reflected on their resume, is to gain insight into the candidate’s unique qualities that they may have yet to highlight in their application materials.

The answer to this question is the candidate’s personality, values, and work style. In addition, by identifying a personal or professional trait not listed on the resume, the candidate can differentiate themselves from other applicants and demonstrate their potential value to the company.

Furthermore, responding to this question can reveal a candidate’s self-awareness, creativity, and communication ability. It can also provide valuable information on how the candidate’s unique trait could contribute to the company’s goals and culture.

Overall, this question helps the interviewer to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the candidate’s potential fit for the company beyond their listed qualifications and experiences.

Can you describe a challenging work scenario you have encountered, and what steps did you take to resolve it?

Employers ask candidates to describe a challenging work scenario they have encountered because it provides insight into their problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and how they handle adversity in the workplace. By sharing their experience, the candidate can demonstrate their ability to overcome obstacles and provide concrete examples of how they have handled challenging situations.

The question also allows the interviewer to assess the candidate’s communication skills, as they must clearly articulate the details of the scenario and the steps they took to resolve it. The interviewer may also better understand the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses and their level of self-awareness.

For example, did the candidate seek input from others or attempt to resolve the issue independently? Did they take ownership of the situation and find a solution, or did they give up in the face of difficulty.

Overall, asking candidates to describe a challenging work scenario provides valuable information for the interviewer to evaluate the candidate’s ability to problem-solve, handle stress, and work effectively in a team. It also allows the candidate to demonstrate their strengths and highlight their accomplishments.

Can you share how your colleagues or team members would describe you?

As an interviewer, one of the essential questions to ask candidates is how their colleagues or team members perceive them. This question can help the interviewer understand the candidate’s interpersonal skills and how they work with others in a team environment.

In addition, by asking this question, the interviewer seeks to gain insight into the candidate’s communication style, ability to collaborate with others, and overall work ethic. Asking about how colleagues or team members describe the candidate allows the interviewer to understand how the candidate’s behaviour and work style affects those around them.

This information can be crucial in determining whether the candidate would fit the company culture and the role they are interviewing for. It can also help identify potential conflict areas or challenges the candidate may face when working with the team.

Moreover, this question can help the interviewer gauge the candidate’s self-awareness and ability to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses. Candidates who can accurately assess how their colleagues perceive them are more likely to be effective communicators and team players. Therefore, this question can be an essential tool for evaluating the candidate’s fit within the team and their potential for success in the role.

Can you explain our company’s products or services to someone unfamiliar with our brand?

An interviewer may ask, “Can you explain our company’s products or services to someone unfamiliar with our brand?” to assess a candidate’s ability to communicate the company’s offerings effectively.

The question also provides insight into the candidate’s level of knowledge about the company and its offerings. A well-informed candidate who has done their research is more likely to comprehensively and accurately describe the company’s products or services.

Communicating the company’s offerings is crucial for building brand awareness and attracting potential customers. A candidate who can explain the company’s products or services compellingly demonstrates strong communication skills, which are essential for various roles within the company.

Therefore, the interviewer can evaluate the candidate’s communication skills, marketing knowledge, and overall fit for the position by asking this question.

Can you describe your approach to handling dissatisfied customers or clients?

The question “Can you describe your approach to handling dissatisfied customers or clients?” is common in job interviews, particularly for customer-facing roles. The interviewer seeks to understand the candidate’s ability to manage difficult situations and ensure that customers are satisfied with the company’s products or services.

In addition, this question aims to evaluate the candidate’s customer service skills and how they handle conflict resolution, which is a crucial aspect of many jobs. The interviewer is interested in understanding the candidate’s problem-solving abilities and how they handle difficult conversations.

This question provides insight into the candidate’s ability to think critically, develop creative solutions to problems, and communicate effectively. In addition, the interviewer wants to ensure that the candidate can effectively manage demanding customers and resolve issues to maintain the company’s reputation and ensure customer satisfaction.

Can you describe a situation where you did not meet a deadline, what led to it, and how you handled it?

The interviewer asks the question, “Can you describe a situation in which you did not meet a deadline, what led to it, and how did you handle the situation?” to gain insight into the candidate’s ability to handle challenges, problem-solving skills, time management, and accountability.

The interviewer evaluates the candidate’s honesty, responsibility, and accountability by asking the candidate to describe a situation where they did not meet a deadline. Moreover, the interviewer also assesses the candidate’s ability to analyse the situation and identify the root cause of the missed deadline.

The question can also provide the interviewer with an understanding of the candidate’s stress management and communication skills. For example, the interviewer wants to know how the candidate dealt with the pressure of a missed deadline and whether they communicated the situation with their supervisor or team members.

Overall, the interviewer is looking for a candidate who is self-aware, accountable, have strong problem-solving skills, and can communicate effectively. The answer to this question can provide valuable insight into the candidate’s potential as an employee and whether they can work well under pressure and in a team environment.

Suppose you receive high-priority tasks from two managers; how would you prioritise them?

As an interviewer, this question helps you to understand the candidate’s decision-making, critical thinking, and time management abilities.

As an employee, it’s not uncommon to receive multiple tasks from different managers, each with its sense of urgency. In this scenario, the interviewer wants to know how the candidate would approach the situation and decide which task to prioritise.

The question also helps the interviewer to evaluate the candidate’s communication skills, as it is essential for the candidate to communicate effectively with the managers in case of conflicting priorities. The interviewer intends to know if the candidate can handle such a situation with diplomacy without jeopardising the relationships with the managers.

Additionally, the question can provide insight into candidates’ ability to manage their workload and meet deadlines. The interviewer intends to know if the candidate can prioritise tasks based on their importance and urgency and if they can promptly communicate any delays or conflicts.

The question evaluates the candidate’s decision-making, communication, and time-management abilities. The answer to this question can provide valuable insight into the candidate’s potential as an employee and whether they can work well under pressure and in a team environment.

Are there situations when it is acceptable to deviate from the rules? If yes, then what are those situations?

The interviewer asks to evaluate the candidate’s judgement and decision-making skills, as well as their ethical framework and moral reasoning.

The question seeks to gauge the candidate’s ability to think critically about rules and guidelines and apply context and nuance to their interpretation. Employers value employees who can balance the need for compliance and adherence to regulations with flexibility and adaptation to changing circumstances.

The interviewer also wants to assess whether the candidate understands the rules and their purpose and whether they can weigh the potential consequences of deviating from the rules. Moreover, the interviewer wants to evaluate whether the candidate can articulate their reasoning for why a particular situation warrants bending the rules.

Answering this question requires the candidate to demonstrate their ability to consider their actions’ ethical and practical implications and communicate their reasoning effectively. In addition, the interviewer wants to see that the candidate has a thoughtful and nuanced approach to decision-making and can balance competing interests.

Overall, this question is intended to evaluate the candidate’s judgement, decision-making abilities, ethical reasoning, and communication skills and to assess their ability to navigate complex situations and work effectively within an organisation.

Can you narrate an instance where you had to clarify a complicated topic to an individual with limited knowledge of the subject matter?

The interviewer asks to evaluate the candidate’s communication and interpersonal skills, ability to simplify complex information, patience, and adaptability.

The ability to explain complex information clearly and concisely is essential in many professions. Therefore, the interviewer wants to know if the candidate has experience with this type of situation and how they approached it.

The question also assesses the candidate’s ability to adapt their communication style to their audience, recognizing that only some have the same knowledge or understanding of a topic.

The question can also provide insight into the candidate’s problem-solving skills, as they may need to devise creative solutions to help someone grasp a complex subject. Additionally, the interviewer wants to know if the candidate can remain patient and calm while explaining complex information and if they can do it without causing frustration or confusion.

Overall, this question is intended to evaluate the candidate’s ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely, their adaptability and problem-solving skills, and their interpersonal skills. The answer to this question can provide valuable insight into the candidate’s potential and ability to work effectively within a team environment.

What steps did you take to ensure that the other person comprehended the information you conveyed?

The interviewer asks to assess the candidate’s communication skills and ability to ensure that the recipient understood the intended message.

Effective communication is essential in any work environment, and the interviewer wants to know if the candidate has the skills necessary to ensure that others understand the information they provide. The question also assesses the candidate’s attentiveness to the listener and ability to read nonverbal cues to identify when someone is having difficulty understanding.

With this question, the interviewer learns if the candidate takes proactive steps to ensure that the other person has comprehended the information, such as asking for feedback, using analogies or examples to simplify complex concepts, or repeating key points to reinforce understanding.

In addition, the interviewer wants to assess the candidate’s level of patience and empathy in ensuring comprehension, recognizing that different people have different learning styles and that some people may require additional support or clarification.

Overall, this question is intended to evaluate the candidate’s communication skills, ability to adapt their communication style to their audience, attentiveness to the listener, and patience and empathy in ensuring comprehension. The answer to this question can provide insight into the candidate’s potential as an effective communicator and team player.

List Of Strategic Interview Questions To Ask Candidates

Section 1: General Questions For Strategic Interview

Can you tell us about your previous work experience and how it relates to this position?
What interests you about this particular job?
Can you describe your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
How do you handle conflict in the workplace?
Can you describe a difficult work situation you faced and how you overcame it?
How do you handle stress and pressure?
Can you give an example of a time when you had to work with a difficult coworker or customer and how you handled it?
What motivates you to succeed in your job?

Section 2: Technical Questions For Strategic Interview

What technical skills do you possess that are relevant to this job?
Can you explain your experience with [specific software, tool, or system]?
Have you ever completed a project that required you to learn a new technology? How did you go about learning it?
Can you walk us through your experience with [specific programming language]?
How do you stay up to date with new technologies and industry trends?
Can you provide an example of a technical challenge you faced in a previous job and how you overcame it?
How do you troubleshoot technical issues?

Section 3: Behavioural Questions For Strategic Interview

Can you tell us about a time when you took a risk in your work and what the outcome was?
Can you describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision at work?
Can you explain a time when you had to think creatively to solve a problem?
Can you give an example of a time when you worked collaboratively with a team to achieve a goal?
Can you describe a time when you had to provide feedback to a coworker or manager?
Can you tell us about a time when you went above and beyond in your job responsibilities?
Can you give an example of a time when you had to adapt to a change in the workplace?

Section 4: Cultural Fit Questions For Strategic Interview

Can you tell us about a company culture that you thrived in? What made it a good fit for you?
How do you maintain a positive attitude in the workplace?
Can you describe the type of work environment you work best in?
Can you tell us about a time when you had to work with people from diverse backgrounds?
How do you handle feedback from coworkers or managers?
Can you describe a time when you had to handle a difficult customer or client?
Can you explain how you prioritize your work tasks?
Can you tell us about a time when you had to work under tight deadlines?

Section 5: Role-Specific Questions For Strategic Interview

What do you think are the most important skills for someone in this role to possess?
Can you describe a time when you successfully managed a project from start to finish?
Can you tell us about your experience with [specific aspect of the job]?
How do you handle competing priorities in your work?
Can you explain your experience with [specific software or tool relevant to the job]?
Can you tell us about a time when you had to make a difficult decision in this role?
Can you describe your experience with [specific task or responsibility relevant to the job]?

Conclusion

Strategic interview questions are essential for hiring managers to identify the best candidates to build a solid and talented team for their organisation. Beyond assessing technical skills and experience, strategic interview questions provide deeper insights into a candidate’s personality, values, problem-solving skills, and leadership abilities.

Asking questions about personal or professional traits not reflected on the resume provides an understanding of a candidate’s unique qualities that can differentiate them from other applicants. Furthermore, asking candidates to describe challenging work scenarios, their approach to dissatisfied customers, and how their colleagues describe them allows the interviewer to evaluate problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills.