There are many forms of interview assessment. Cognitive and aptitude testing, personality tests, and role-playing scenarios, just to name a few. All of which can be used to evaluate a candidate's suitability for a specific role. However, one of the most common and effective methods of assessment is through the use of interview assessment questions.

Like tests, interview assessment questions also come in many forms. Multiple choice, pair matching, true-and-false, agree-or-disagree, computational, and essay-style questions can all be used to assess a candidate's knowledge, skills, and abilities relevant to the job role.

One well-known example of assessment questions for interviews is Procter & Gamble's (P&G) P.E.A.K. Assessment. The test was created (in the company's own words), "...to measure skills and abilities that generally do not emerge from interviews." PEAK is used to help candidates understand their potential with P&G.

Job Interview Assessment Questions

The purpose behind interview assessment questions is to analyze one or more candidate traits to understand their potential fit for a role. Assessments like PEAK give the interviewer insight into the candidate's critical-thinking skills, ability to solve problems, and potential for leadership and creativity. Other popular job interview assessment questions may focus on the candidate's teamwork abilities, communication skills, adaptability to change, and overall fit with company culture.

When Do Companies Generally Use Assessment Interviews?

Companies use assessment interviews at various stages of the interview process. Sometimes (like in the case of P&G), they have the candidate complete a test before they begin interviews. In cases like State Farm, they use them mid-process, after an in-person or virtual interview has been completed. Finally, they can be utilized near the end of the hiring process as a "decision-making" tool.

Assessment interviews are particularly useful when hiring for positions that demand a high level of technical expertise, critical thinking, or innovative problem-solving. For example, a SaaS company hiring software engineers or salespeople where the role will be heavily weighted toward technical skills, or a capital allocator hiring analysts where specific industry knowledge and financial expertise would be required. They are also valuable for roles requiring a strong fit with the company culture or for positions where soft skills like teamwork, communication, and leadership are critical for success.

The Impact of Including Assessment Interviews in Your Hiring Process.

Assessment questions for interviews can provide a comprehensive evaluation of a candidate's skills and abilities, beyond what traditional interviews may reveal. They serve as an excellent tool for verifying candidate claims regarding their strengths and identifying potential areas for improvement.

Assessment interviews also work best when connected with tools like interview intelligence software. Interview intelligence is a powerful candidate skills assessment tool that offers hiring teams the ability to see what human eyes and ears may miss. Using the power of AI, interview intelligence can measure tonal changes and inflections, catch micro-expressions, and uncover interview insights impossible without these solutions.

Interview Assessment Questions And Answers

Now, let's get into the type of assessment you'll want to consider for your open roles and example interview assessment questions and answers that may be helpful to find great people. Crafting effective interview assessment questions requires a bit of skill and an ability to completely reverse engineer the hiring process. Beginning with your company's culture, quarterly objectives, and the specific requirements of the role, create a job description that includes each factor for success and decide the best method to test a candidate's proficiency in each area. For example, if you're hiring an account executive (AE), you'll want to ask questions about outreach strategy, sales skills, closing methods, tools, and past experience meeting strict quarterly goals. Once those questions are in place, it's time to assess the applicant's responses.

Assessing the candidate's responses based on the criteria you've set isn't easy. You have to weigh a myriad of factors like rapport, honesty, communication skills, knowledge, growth potential, and experience against your hiring requirements. This is where interview intelligence comes in handy. The software uses AI to monitor the candidate's skills, speech patterns, facial expressions, and body language to help you reach a more objective hiring decision.

If you're struggling to craft the perfect interview assessment questions, click here, paste your job description into the text field, and in less than 5 minutes we'll email you a comprehensive interview guide with candidate assessment questions.

Interview Feedback

Once the interview has been completed, certain stakeholders will need to give their feedback before the candidate moves on to the next interview or exits the process. This feedback works best when contained in scorecards and standardized feedback forms to ensure consistency across candidates and interviews.

Sample positive feedback to HR could accentuate the candidates, strengths, communication, skills, or proficiency at various tasks, or tools related to the role. On the flip side, unsuccessful interview feedback examples could showcase the candidate's weaknesses, skills gaps, or areas for improvement. Factoring for lack of cultural fit, experience, or poor communication skills. This feedback can help hiring teams determine if a candidate is the right fit for the role and your organization.

Remember, the goal of an interview assessment is not merely to identify a candidate who can provide 'correct' answers but to uncover one who showcases a deep understanding and interest in the role as well as the customer and the organization's culture. The interview is your opportunity to see them exhibit how their skills, interests, and experiences uniquely position them as the most suitable candidates. This is where all the prep work and active feedback really pay off.

Assessment Questions Examples

No article on assessment interview examples would be complete without a deep dive into the questions. As such, we'll conclude with assessment questions examples and assessment interview examples. The samples below are designed to give you a starting point to guide you through the process of creating your own examples. The purpose here is not just to equip you with potential questions but also to provide insight into how these questions can uncover relevant data and valuable sample interview assessment comments from candidates which will reflect on their suitability for the role and your team.

If possible, frame as many assessment questions as possible as structured, open-ended behavioral, or situationally-based in nature. This will give you an opportunity to assess the candidate's past behavior, skills, and thought processes in different situations relevant to the role.

Assessment Interview Questions:

1. "Describe a challenging situation with a previous co-worker. How did you handle it?"

• Look for detailed responses highlighting problem-solving skills, resilience, and the ability to work under pressure. Candidate's answers should reveal their thought process and emotional intelligence in navigating workplace challenges.

2. "How do you prioritize tasks when everything seems to be urgent? Do you use any frameworks or methodologies to help you prioritize tasks?"

• A question like this tests time management and prioritization skills, crucial in any role. Candidates might share specific methodologies or tools they use, giving insight into their organizational skills.

3. "Can you give an example of a significant contribution you made to a team project? What part did you play, what were the results, and how did you feel about your work?"

• This question aims to shed light on teamwork, collaboration, and the ability to contribute positively to a group effort. Look for answers that emphasize the candidate's role and the impact of their contribution.

4. "Tell me about a time when you received criticism from a colleague at the same level as you. How did you handle it?"

• Responses will give you a glimpse into the candidate's capacity for personal growth, resilience, and the ability to constructively use feedback. Sample interview assessment comments here might include acknowledgment of the feedback and implemented changes based on it.

5. "Describe your experience with [specific tool or skill relevant to the job]."

• Tailoring your questions to the role's specific requirements can help assess technical competence. Highlight candidates' proficiency, experience levels, and the context in which they've used these skills. Follow up with specific questions about challenges, successes, and lessons learned.

Keep in mind, as you craft assessment interview questions, that they're a tool. Like any tool, they must be a good fit for the job at hand to be effective. Another visual would be a thread. Each question should be thought of as a thread that, when pulled, unravels more about the candidate's experiences, thought process, and ability to succeed in the role you're hiring them to do.

Whether the questions we listed in this section are a perfect fit for your assessment interviews or not, hopefully, they've set the groundwork for a solid evaluation process that's objective and fair. Careful construction of the questions you ask will be reflected in the candidate's responses and can significantly enhance your hiring process's effectiveness, ensuring you find people who aren't just qualified on paper, but will truly thrive within your organization.

If you'd like to use our FREE assessment question generator, click here and paste your job description into the text field, or to see how interview intelligence can help you lower employee attrition by more than 40%, book a demo today!