15 Personality Interview Questions to Ask Top Talent Today

Asking the right questions during an interview can go a long way in determining if a candidate is a right fit for your company. Many recruiters have failed to ask crucial questions that help assess a candidate's personality. As a result, they have hired individuals incompatible with their organization's culture.

Nowadays, personality interview questions are a must when hiring new employees.

With the help of these questions, you can get to know the person behind the resume. You can find out if they're a good fit for your company culture and if they have the right personality for the job.

As a recruiter, do you know what to ask during a personality interview? In this blog post, we will discuss 15 personality interview questions that will help you get to know top talent. Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn more about the people you are interviewing!

What is a Personality Interview Question?

Personality is what makes us who we are. It's the combination of our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that makes us unique. And it's not just about how we act; it's also about how we think and feel.

Personality interview questions help you understand a person's thought process and emotional state. With these questions, you can find out how a person deals with difficult situations, what motivates them, and how they interact with others. That being said, let’s consider the importance of asking personality interview questions.

Few Things You Should Keep In Mind before Asking the Questions

• Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." These questions won't give you the information you're looking for.
• Ask open-ended questions that will encourage the person to talk more.
• Stay away from questions that are too personal. You want to keep the interview professional and avoid making the person feel uncomfortable.

Now that we've discussed the importance of asking personality-based questions let's look at 15 of the best questions to ask during a personality interview.

What 15 Personality Interview Questions Should You Ask?

1. What Is One Trait That Makes You a Unique Candidate?
2. Do You Prefer to Work Alone or on a Team?
3. How Do You Deal With Stress and Pressure?
4. What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
5. How Do You Handle Criticism?
6. What Is Your Ideal Work Environment?
7. What Are Your Thoughts on Change?
8. How Do You Deal With Conflict?
9. What Is Your Problem-Solving Style?
10. How Do You Handle Failure?
11. What Is Your Decision-Making Process?
12. What Are Your Thoughts on Taking Risks?
13. Are you easy to talk to? 
14. How Would You Describe Your Personality?
15. What Motivates You?

Why Are Personality-Based Questions Important?

As we mentioned earlier, personality interview questions are a must to hire the right employees for your company. With these questions, you can achieve the following:

Screen Out Candidates Who Won't Fit In

The first and most important reason for asking personality-based questions is to screen out candidates who won't fit into the company. You can find out if the person is a good match for your company culture and if they have the right personality for the job. For example, if you're looking for a customer service representative, you'll want to ensure that the person is patient, friendly, and has good communication skills.

Get to Know the Person Behind the Resume

Another reason why personality interview questions are important is that they help you get to know the person behind the resume. A resume can only tell you so much about a person. With these questions, you can learn more about their work ethic, values, and goals.

You might want to ask, "What are your thoughts on taking risks?" You cannot get this on the candidate's resume. Personality interview questions will help you understand the person who likes to play it safe or is willing to take risks. Risk takers can be valuable assets to any company because they usually develop innovative ideas.

Gauge How the Person Handles Pressure

Pressure is a part of any job. And it's essential to know how a person handles pressure before you hire them. With these questions, you can find out if the person can stay calm under pressure and if they're able to think clearly when faced with a difficult situation.

Questions like: "How do you deal with stress and pressure?" and "What are your thoughts on change?" can give you a good idea of how the person deals with difficult situations.

By asking these questions, you can better understand how the person copes with difficult situations and if they can adapt to change.

Find Out What Motivates the Candidate

Another reason for asking personality-based questions is to determine what motivates the candidate. With these questions, you can get an insight into what drives the person and makes them tick. This information can be beneficial when managing and motivating your employees – to help them unleash their full potential.

It Unravels a Candidate's Thought Process and Emotional State

Lastly, personality-based questions help you understand a candidate's thought process and emotional state. With these questions, you can find out how a person deals with difficult situations, their triggers, and how they interact with others. This information is precious when it comes to managing your employees.

It Helps Identify Candidate's Red Flags

Lastly, asking personality-based questions can help you identify a candidate's red flags. For example, if a candidate has a history of violence, it's best to know about it before you make a hire. With these questions, you can get fruitful insights into the person's character and decide if they're worth your time or not.

You will not want to hire candidates who demonstrate violence, constantly argue with teammates, or do not do their job correctly. Therefore, it is essential to ask personality interview questions to unravel these potential red flags from the very start.

Bottom Line

Asking personality interview questions is a great way to screen out candidates who won't fit in, get to know the person behind the resume, gauge how the person handles pressure, find out what motivates the candidate, and identify red flags. So if you're looking to hire top talent today, ask these 15 personality interview questions.

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