If you are preparing for an interview, a crucial first step is knowing what open ended interview questions are and which ones you should ask. This article will walk through all that you need to know surrounding open-ended interview questions.
Open Ended vs. Close Ended Questions
Open ended interview questions give a candidate more room to express themselves, provide more in-depth responses, and allows you to get to know their personality a bit better. Unlike close-ended questions, open ended questions allow a candidate to give a personalized response.
It’s likely that a candidate’s resume answered most close-ended questions that you would need to ask, like whether or not they meet certain job requirements, have the needed experience, or meet education requirements. This leaves most of the time in an interview for open ended questions.
If you’d like a deeper look into close vs. open-ended questions, then Qualtrics has an excellent article on the difference between open and close-ended questions.
Open Ended Interview Questions to Ask
Here are 25 open ended questions to inspire you as you prepare your interview questions:
Motivations:
- What motivates you?
- What makes you excited to come to work?
- Why did you decide to apply for this job?
- What makes you want to work for this company?
- What is most important to you in a job, in a company, and in an industry?
Conflict Resolution:
- Tell me about a mistake you made at work and what you did to correct it.
- What is your approach to meeting deadlines?
- How do you deal with stress?
- What is the biggest challenge you have faced in a job?
- Tell me about a time people disagreed with your ideas, what did you do?
Work Style:
- What kind of work environment do you succeed in?
- What management style do you work best under?
- What is important to you in a manager?
- How do you motivate people?
Job Specific:
- What changes could your past/current company do to be more successful?
- Why do you feel like you’re the right person for the job?
- How would you define success in this role?
Character:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Tell me something about yourself that isn’t on your resume.
- How would your past coworkers describe you?
- What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Goals/Future:
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- What does your dream job look like?
- Why are you leaving your current job?
If you are searching for more interview questions to ask, check out these strategic interview questions.
Final Thoughts
Using these open ended interview questions will be sure to give you a deeper insight on a candidate and whether they are the right fit for the role. As you ask these questions, be sure to ask follow up questions so you can really understand what a candidate is trying to say.
