Before we get to the questions, let’s set the stage for a successful interview.

What you probably already know (but are good reminders):

• Hire for culture fit. If you like your current culture, protect it. Prioritize values and character alignment—you can train for skills much faster than you can shift behavior and attitude.
• Hire slowly. Take your time. Check references. Look for red flags and listen to your intuition, even if their resume shines.
• Past behavior predicts future behavior. If they've moved on every couple of years, the likelihood is they'll move on again in a couple of years.
• Pay attention to tone and body language. Much of communication is nonverbal. Check in with your own body, too—are you clenching your jaw when you're listening to them?

What you may not have considered (but should):

• Be aware of confirmation bias. Likability and relatability do not equal a good fit for the role. Can they do the actual work?
• Think about team fit. Will this person complement or clash with the people they’ll work alongside? Consider including the team in the interview process.
• Leave open-ended questions open. Silence may signal thoughtfulness, not lack of ideas. Don’t fill up the space with the answer you would like to hear.
• Flip the script. Spend the second half of the interview sharing about your organization and what you're committed to, then ask what questions they have. Listen closely to their questions, since this is where their priorities and concerns can surface. If they have no questions, have they not done their homework or taken the application seriously? If they ask thoughtful questions, this bodes well.
• Hiring for a leadership role? Talk to multiple people they’ve managed. Always. Don't just confirm with HR that they worked at their previous company—find out what their work was like for their team.
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What makes these the best job interview questions?

Many of these questions are inspired by the New York Times’ “Corner Office” interviews with successful CEOs.

These questions are designed to uncover who a person really is—not just how well they interview. They help you evaluate if someone:

• Is honest and candid
• Brings positive energy
• Has curiosity, adaptability, and a learner’s mindset
• Has integrity and sound judgment
• Can collaborate and problem-solve
• Has a sense of humor and perspective
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Top 10 best job interview questions

1. Tell me what you think this job is all about.
See if they’ve done their homework—and how well they understand the core of the role.

2. Tell me about your life. Start wherever you want to, from the beginning or the end, but talk to me about you, what you’ve done, and then walk me through what you’ve done with your career and where you want to go.
This open-ended prompt helps you hear their personal and professional journey—and where they hope it leads.

3. Why are you choosing us? Why this company? Why now?
See what they value and how they think about mutual success.

4. What are your priorities? What makes you tick?
This helps you gauge internal motivation and cultural alignment.

5. What’s something you’ve done that you’re really proud of?
OR
Tell me about a time you believed in something and were able to make a difference.
You’ll get insight into passion, initiative, and how they define impact.

6. What’s one of your most significant mistakes?
Their answer should also tell you how they addressed it, learned from it, and will avoid it in the future.

7. If you had to name something, what do you think is the biggest misperception people have of you?
A revealing question about self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

8. What makes you really angry?
You’ll hear about their values—and how they handle strong emotion.

9. What do you do in your free time?
This helps bring their full self into the conversation. Ask, “If you were going to hang out with a coworker, what would you do?”

10. Tell me about a time when you thought your company needed to do something differently or go in a different direction: How did you handle that? How did you approach it, and what were the results? 
See what they were willing to do—and what they would change if they had to do it again.

Here’s to finding your next great fit!

The best job interview questions help you uncover character, chemistry, and clarity—not just polish. And when you hire for culture and contribution, you build a team that supports each other in delivering for you, your organization, and your customers.

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