Your employees don't need to be best friends, but they need to have positive working relationships. If a candidate thinks rapport is important, they'll likely work on those relationships. By asking how they build rapport, you're asking for evidence to support their emphasis on rapport. What to look for in an answer:

• Ability to find connections with colleagues

• Positive outlook on past colleagues

• Understanding of why good working relationships are important

Asking about being challenged by a colleague helps demonstrate how a potential employee handles conflict. It helps you evaluate how well the candidate can handle criticism and consider other perspectives. You can also use it to gauge how well the person can work with others since conflict is a part of any relationship. What to look for in an answer:

• Willingness to consider other viewpoints and understand other perspectives

• Ability to accept suggestions and feedback from others

• Application of conflict resolution skills

Asking this question shows if the candidate is aware of how mood can affect performance. Emotionally intelligent people understand the connection and try to counteract a negative mood. They understand that having a positive attitude can make them more productive and improve work quality. What to look for in an answer:

• Acknowledgment that their mood affects their work output

• Understanding of how to maintain a positive attitude

• Strategies to overcome negativity

Not every attempt is a success, so you need employees who can keep pushing when that happens. This question lets candidates show awareness of their shortcomings and own up to failures rather than blaming circumstances or coworkers. It also helps you evaluate how well the candidate handles disappointment. What to look for in an answer:

• Accepting responsibility for a mistake without blaming others

• Resilience when things don't go as planned

• Willingness to try a different approach

Work responsibilities can change. You may need to cross-train employees to cover when others are gone, or a new project may require people to pitch in with new duties. This question tests how a candidate handles the stress and how willing they are to help. What to look for in an answer:

• Willingness to accept new responsibilities

• Ability to be a team player

• Coping skills to manage new responsibilities

This question shows what a candidate prioritizes beyond hard work and technical skills. It should reveal high emotional intelligence and an understanding of what values are important. What to look for in an answer:

• Emphasis on accountability

• Understanding of how company values affect employees

• Thoughtful response that aligns with your company's values

This question helps you gauge how receptive the candidate is to constructive criticism and feedback. It can tell you if the person uses feedback as motivation or crumbles because they can't handle hearing anything negative about themselves. What to look for in an answer:

• Acceptance of feedback, even when it's not positive

• Willingness to improve and implement feedback

• Strong sense of self-worth and ability to use feedback as a motivation instead of taking it personally

Employees rely on their colleagues to get their work done. It's common for team members to have different expectations, and some employees don't pull their weight. Asking this question helps you assess how the employee handles these situations. What to look for in an answer:

• Concern about the success of the team

• Skills to handle conflicts

• Ability to support and motivate colleagues to improve team performance

This question shows if the candidate tunes in to other people's emotions and can recognize when others are upset. You can learn how well the candidate interprets feelings and understands how to support them. What to look for in an answer:

• Recognition of negative feelings in others that could interfere with work

• Ability to show empathy

• Support of colleagues to keep the team going

Understanding how a candidate motivates others isn't done to evaluate if you're hiring the newest company cheerleader. Motivating and working well with others shows how well the person understands people. You're looking for someone who understands that interactions with colleagues aren't a one-size-fits-all situation. What to look for in an answer:

• Understanding and willingness to customize interactions with people

• Concern for team members and how they're feeling

• Desire for team success