As a technical manager, identifing a top performing technical candidate is difficult if you are unsure of the best interview questions to ask. Choosing the best candidates for your department comes with great pressure and many managers are unable to distinguish who is the best fit for the position and company. A bad hire causes hair loss, restless nights and ultimately hurts the company’s bottom line. Hiring a great candidate on the other hand makes you and your department stand out within the company. As experts in technical recruiting for over 45 years, we have curated a list of the best interview questions that every technical manager should ask candidates to help identify top performers.
1) What initially interested you in this particular field?
By asking this question you are getting a better understanding of their level of passion for their chosen field. Did they grow up with a family-business, have an early interest in the field or simply fall into this career? Understanding why they are in their career in the first place will shed light on their motivations for their work. The more detailed and authentic they can answer this question, the better. You want employees who love what they do and have a natural curiosity and passion for their field.
2) What is your proudest technical accomplishment in your last role?
With this question, you’re looking for a highlight of their technical ability and an understanding of what really drives your candidate. This will give you insight into the limits of their technical capabilities and what types of projects they’d prefer to work on in the future. Did they write a patent for a new product, win a design award, or obtain a certification? Understanding their individual versus team involvement in this accomplishment will help you learn about their teamwork abilities as well.
3) What technical part of your last role did you enjoy the most?
This question gives you insight into what really motivates them. Do they enjoy inventing or designing new concepts, or do they enjoy leading a team of technical employees? If they enjoyed collaborating with other bright engineers or architects, this is an indication of strong leadership potential. If they enjoyed developing a new software program or designing a new product, they may be better suited in individual contributor roles.
4) What type of role do you see yourself in 3-5 years from now?
This question will give you a glimpse of their career-focus and path they’d like to pursue. Do they prefer a hands-on role, or would they like more leadership opportunities in the future. Either answer is fine, but it will help you understand what’s motivating their career progression. Most organizations need both individual contributors and leaders, so this will help you plan for growth in both areas.
5) Who could I contact to confirm your technical abilities?
Asking for professional references is one of the best ways to determine if a candidate is a top performer. The candidate should be quick to provide former supervisors and co-workers who can vouch for their technical abilities. Should the candidate hesitate to volunteer a former supervisor as a reference, you should question why that is the case. If they quickly and confidently provide this information, this is a strong indicator that they are eager for you to contact them and verify their abilities and experiences.
As a result of our decades of successful recruiting, we have determined the best interview questions to ask to determine your top performing candidates. However, we also understand the extreme pressure of hiring and new candidate and can help you focus on other responsibilities while we take care of the recruiting. Contact us to learn more about our technical recruiting capabilities and our 6-step proven process!
-Tom Goettl, Vice President of Konik PrimeStaff, a technical recruiting company in Minneapolis, MN.