Figure out how long your interview will be

The first part of figuring out how many interview questions to ask candidates is to determine how long your interview will be. Many job interviews last anywhere from 30 minute to one hour, but this can vary based on the position, type of interview (e.g., phone, group, panel) and your organization’s recruiting process.

Remember to leave time at the start and end of your interview

Once you’ve determined how long your interview will be, consider leaving 5-10 minutes at the start of the conversation to introduce yourself and build rapport with your candidate. You should also leave another 5-10 minutes at the end of your conversation for any questions your candidate might have.

Leave at least three minutes per question

Now you need to decide how long you want to leave for your candidate to answer each question. A minimum of three minutes is ideal, but there are some circumstances in which you’ll want to leave additional time if possible. For example, if you’re looking to fill an upper management or executive position, you may want to give candidates more time to answer.

Determining how many interview questions to ask in your interview

Once you know the length of your interview and how long you want to leave for each question, you can more accurately determine the right number of interview questions to ask for your unique circumstances. Do this by taking the total time of your interview and subtracting the time at the beginning and end. Then, take the number you’re left with and divide that by the time you plan to spend on each question.

For example, let’s say you only have 30 minutes per interview and you plan to leave only three minutes per question. Once you subtract five minutes from the beginning and end of your interview, you’re left with 20 minutes. When that time is divided by three minutes per question, you’re left with 6.6 interview questions. So, you could potentially ask six to seven questions during your interview.

Another example would be if you have a 90-minute executive-level interview and you want to allot six minutes per question. Once you subtract five minutes from the start and end of the interview, you’re left with 80 minutes. Once that is divided by six, you see that you can ask 13 to 14 questions during your interview.

One other thing to consider is what you’re hoping to learn from the candidate. If you can find out what you need to know from a candidate in five interview questions, you may not need to ask 10. It’s important to think about the candidate experience. Asking dozens of unnecessary questions can put a candidate off and create a negative experience. Asking 5-10 carefully crafted interview questions can make candidates feel more comfortable and less like they’re being interrogated.

Examples of open-ended interview questions

No matter how many questions you have prepared, make sure each one has a purpose. Open-ended interview questions are often preferred by hiring managers because they provide valuable information. By paying attention, you can also gain insight into a person’s personality, communication skills and critical thinking style.

Examples of excellent open-ended interview questions include:

• Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
• Why do you want to work for our company?
• Would you say you work best in a team or alone?
• If you could change one thing about your current company to help it be more successful, what would it be?
• Why are you leaving your current job?
• Where do you see yourself in five years? What actions are you currently taking to fulfill those goals?
• How do you manage deadlines under pressure?
• Can you describe a past incident where you failed to meet a deadline or achieve an objective? What did you learn from that experience that you apply in your work now?
• What strengths and skills do you believe make you most qualified for this position?
• What would you say your greatest weakness is in the workplace, and what (if any) steps do you take to mitigate this challenge?
• What career accomplishment are you most proud of?
• Can you tell me something about yourself that isn’t listed on your resume?
• What makes you most excited about your industry or career?
• Why did you choose this career path?
• Can you tell me about a time when you had to work with someone that had a very different personality or work style than yours?

Although there’s no single correct answer as to how many interview questions to ask, you should allow at least two minutes for each of your candidate’s answers. You’ll also want to remember to leave approximately 5-10 minutes at the start of your interview to build rapport and another 5-10 minutes at the end to answer any questions your candidate has. The time between can be divided by two (or three, if possible) to determine the appropriate number of questions for your next interview.

FAQs

Is it okay to ask a lot of questions when interviewing a job candidate?

The more questions you ask, the less time candidates can spend on their answers. This can lead to shallow answers that don’t allow you to really get to know the candidate and their skills and experience. Asking 5-10 carefully thought-out interview questions can ensure you’re giving candidates enough time to answer.

Do you have to ask potential candidates whether they have any questions at the end of an interview?

Although you don’t have to end your interviews with this question, it can ensure the candidate has a solid understanding of the job and company they’re applying to. It also helps you gauge their level of interest.Additionally, it helps candidates understand if the role is right for them.

What’s the best way to open the conversation during a job interview?

The best way to open the conversation during a job interview is to briefly introduce yourself and the company. Tell the candidate your name, your role in the company and how long you’ve been working there. Provide a brief overview of what your company does along withits mission, values and anything else important. Then, give the candidate an opportunity to introduce themselves before diving into the interview questions.

Can I end the interview early if I run out of questions?

Not every interview will run the entire time you’ve allotted to it, and that’s okay. As long as you’ve covered all your questions, it’s okay to end an interview early. However, you may find it helpful to include one or two extra questions in your interview script. While these questions may not always get asked, they can be used if you run through your primary questions and still have time left.