Next Level Interview Questions
As we emerge from the pandemic and all of its implications, many churches are looking to make strategic hires. This may be the result of retirements or resignations that took place in the previous months. Or it may be the result of creating new positions to address the new realities.
In either case, once you make it clear that you are “hiring,” you will start receiving applications. And, eventually, this will lead to interviewing prospective candidates.
There are the typical interview questions – questions such as...
Tell me about yourself.
How did you hear about this position?
Why do you want to work here?
Why should we hire you?
What are your greatest strengths?
What do you consider to be your weaknesses?
To be sure, those questions will provide you with some degree of understanding regarding the applicant.
However, I recently came across an article suggesting that there are some better questions that you might want to ask – questions that might provide more insight.
Next Level Questions
You have several strengths (and I would name some), but tell me what the “shadow side” to these are. Tell me about how you’ve seen a strength of yours come out as a negative in certain settings.
Which of the nine “fruit of the Spirit” is most evident in your life currently, and which “fruit” is least evident in this season of your life?
When you’ve had a hard day or a hard month, how do you typically re-energize?
Thinking about supervisors you’ve had in the past, describe a supervising characteristic one of them had that really was good for you to work under. Next, describe a supervising characteristic that really bugged you at times.
What does self-development look like for you? If you have intentional practices, please describe.
What are the greatest joy and greatest challenge in your current position?
What These Questions Reveal
As you can see, these questions press into areas that will greatly inform you as you consider the present decision of whether to hire the person as well as your future supervision of the person.
Next level interview questions press into areas that will greatly inform you as you consider whether to hire the person as well as your future supervision of the person.
With questions 1 & 2 you’ll be able to assess their degree of emotional intelligence.
With question 3 you’ll be able to evaluate their restorative rhythms.
With question 4 you’ll be able to gauge their response to leadership.
With question 5 you’ll be able to judge how they lead themselves.
With question 6 you’ll be able to estimate their relative “fit” for the position.
I found these open-ended questions to be quite insightful. And, if you use them (along with some of the more standard interview questions), they might provide you with a greater sense of understanding and result in a great hire.
One more thing. These six questions certainly aren’t exhaustive. If you have come up with your own list of “next level” questions, I’d love to see them. Please feel free to note them in the comments section.
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