Looking for the right candidate for a job requires a lot of time and effort; CVs need to be read, interviews have to get scheduled, and important decisions need to be made.

To make the whole recruitment process easier, we have laid down 8 questions for you to ask during an interview. These questions aim to simplify the decision-making process. Qualifying a candidate:

1. What is your current position and responsibilities?

First thing first, when qualifying a candidate, you need totry and understand where they are coming from. It is very easy to write a title on a CV, but the challenge is to explain the day-to-day responsibilities that the role involves. By simply asking this one question, you will already be able to have a clearer idea of whether your candidate is good for the job.

2. Why are you looking to change job/start a new challenge?

Once you've understood what the candidate's current position is in their company, you will need to understand why they are looking to change. Here, you must pay particular attention to what they tell you. Rarely (if ever) will you find someone telling you that they've been fired, but you will encounter such occasions. Do they seem to want to changejob often? Are they after a position/work environment your company cannot offer? These questions will help you get a clearer idea of the long term relationship you could gain with the candidate.

3. Why do you think you are a fit candidate for this position?

Degrees and work experiences are always good to have, but you must never take for granted that there is morethat makes a person qualified for a job. With this question, you will give the candidate the opportunity to sell themselves to you. This is one of the key questions that will help you make your decision considerably easier.

4. What do you like about our company?

This is the question which will help you realise whether the candidate did their research or not. A candidate that truly wants the job would have at least one reason for wanting to join the company, and it's important that they make it clear to you. At the end of the day, you want someone who has a passion, not only for their job but also for the industry; and that will, with time, grow to be part of the company.

5. Do you prefer working in a team or independently?

It's important for you to understand what kind of candidate you may be employing. Do they struggle to voice their opinion in a team? Do they manage to handle responsibilities by themselves? Can you picture them being; team leaders or followers? This is all necessary information that will help you have a clearer idea of what type of person might be joining your company.

6. If you could have any job, which one would you choose?

Is your candidate really after the position they've applied for? If an accountant comes to you and admits that they wish to publish a book, then something might not be quite right.

7. Whatis your one strength and one weakness?

This is a hard one to answer, and we say this by experience. Most people are taken aback when asked this question, and more often than not they need to think about it. Hope for an honest answer, for one that will help you assess whether the candidate is actually the one you wish to employ. A shy candidate wouldn't be one that you would like to employ for a Customer Support position. This question will help you evaluate this.

8. What is your salary expectation?

This is a question that you should only ask if you really are considering the candidate for the job. This is probably one of the most awkward questions to ask, and to answer, but it needs to be done. After all, you have a number in mind, and so do they, and the only way to wingame is to make the two match as much as possible.

Are you an interviewee reading this blog post? If you're looking for an outfit that will seal the deal, check out this list we have laid out for you.