If a CV is the shop window of a candidate’s suitability to a role, an interview should be the test drive. In a short space of time you need to assess if this person is the right person for your job and the evidence based questions you ask are crucial to this end.

As your recruitment agency we will have already done the work of sifting through the applications. We will speak to applicants to find out if they fit the criteria you have set out for us, then it is over to you.

During the interview, having a stack of Evidence Based Questions in your pocket will be essential in gleaning the information you need to make an informed decision about your interviewee.

Luckily, we’ve rounded up a number of Evidence Based Questions for interview for you. Just take out the example and replace with your own requirements.

Analysis and Problem Solving

• One of the key skills we are looking for in this role is the ability to adhere to strict deadlines
• Can you tell us about a time when you have come up with an innovative way of ensuring this?
• Were there any problems?
• How did you tackle the issue?
• What solution did you come up with?
• What difference did it make?

Challenging Client Focus

• The organisation is focussed on delivering high standards of client care
• Describe a time when you have had to deal with a challenging client situation?
• What was your aim in dealing with the situation?
• What steps did you take to resolve it?
• What happened as a result?

Proactive Client Focus

• We want to build a team who show a proactive approach to dealing with clients.
• Describe a time when you have proactively dealt with a client situation?
• What was your aim in dealing with the situation?
• What steps did you take to address it?
• What happened as a result?

Communication and Influence

• This role has lots of contact with clients, so the ability to build relationships and rapport in a short space of time is key. Tell us about a time you have built rapport with someone you didn’t know?
• What was your objective?
• What approach did you take?
• What was the outcome?

Team Work

• The department needs people who can work on their own initiative, but who can also contribute to a positive team environment.
• Give us an example of when you have supported someone else in your team?
• What were you hoping to achieve?
• What steps did you take?
• What happened as a result?

Learning Focus

• We are keen to have people who want to improve and learn in their roles.
• Give us an example of how you have developed your skills in the last year?
• What led you to identify this as an area?
• How did you implement the learning/knowledge?
• What difference did it make?

Accountability

• In this role you may be working unsupervised for large chunks of time.
• Give us an example of when you have had to sort out a problem without a manager to help?
• How did you identify there was an issue?
• What was the impact that was having?
• What did you do to address the problem?
• What results did you achieve?

Planning and Organising

• This role needs people who can plan and organise themselves well
• Give us an example how you have planned your time to meet a specific goal?
• What was the goal and timescales involved?
• What steps did you take to plan?
• What happened as a result?

Prioritising

• A key part of this role is juggling priorities.
• Give us an example of when you have been faced with a sudden change in priority?
• What was the change?
• What did you do?
• What did you take into consideration when making your decisions?
• What was the result?

Drive/ Motivation

• Talk us through something you are particularly proud of …
• What was your aim?
• How did you achieve it?
• What obstacles did you have to overcome?
• How did you do that?
• What was the outcome?

The above are very general questions, but they can easily be tweaked to suit your specific role or business. For example, “What proactive involvement have you had with design development though RIBA Stages 4-6?”

You can even pick out certain elements mentioned on their CV; “Tell us more about the prestigious Hotel project in the US that you worked on from initial concept stages?”.

Having your recruitment agency first whittle down who best suits your company based on our initial conversation, through to using the above tips, we’re sure you will secure the right person for your role and your business.

Find out how to speed up your recruitment initiatives to secure valuable candidates here