Almost nobody likes job interviews (everyone who does is in the staffing and recruiting business!), but they're an important part of the hiring process. You can help your interviews become a better tool for finding the right fit between your firm and potential candidates by asking better questions.    

It's time to go beyond, "So... what made you apply for this job?" and ask some questions that will tell you more about a candidate's history and their personality. We've divided these questions into two groups: stories and queries.

Stories can provide specific examples of how a candidate has performed under the sorts of conditions that are likely to arise in the position for which you're interviewing them. They can also give examples of a particular skill or talent a candidate has; for instance, instead of asking "Do you know Photoshop?", try "Tell me about a time when you used Photoshop and how you used it."  

 To see more "story" interview questions, click here -->  

You can use queries to get to know your candidates better as people and workers, to get an idea of what they value, how they perceive themselves and others and how they view their career and your position's potential role in it. Here are some suggestions of questions to ask.   

To see more "query" interview questions, click here -->

But as in so many other things in life, often the greatest rewards come when you choose the middle path. We're going to look at a couple of examples of how going too far in either direction can reduce your efficacy as a manager.  

A major source of complaints from employees is micromanaging, or inserting yourself too much into your employees' work. However, not managing enough is just as dangerous, and its negative signs aren't as easy to read. 

Conflict in the workplace is another area where a middle path can be tough to find. While it might seem idyllic to envision a workplace where no conflict ever occurs, that's just not going to happen. Besides, conflict can be a good thing: it can bring existing issues between employees and within the workplace to light. The trick is being able to handle conflict among your employees in a balanced way.