7 In-Depth Decision-Making Interview Questions for Your New Hire

Employees inevitably have to make decisions in the workplace, both big and small. It’s an integral part of the process in any kind of business or company. Decisions make or break operations and they can determine the team’s success rate at any given time.

Decisions that employees have to make can be aligned with their tasks, such as copywriters choosing the right taglines, or designers selecting the most evocative colour schemes. Or it can be interpersonal, such as their interactions with colleagues and superiors. Asking decision-making interview questions will give you an overview of how a candidate will perform in the actual work setting.

What this reveals: Past experiences and effectiveness

Identifying the biggest obstacles a candidate has faced is a sure way to determine how their decision-making process works. This decision-making interview question will help you understand their behaviour not only when faced with a problem, but also how effective they were at their previous position.

What this reveals: Confidence to innovate

Traditional means of going about work-related things are expected to produce familiar outcomes. While this is often admirable, a candidate with the confidence and skills to go outside the box may reap more favourable results.

What this reveals: How much of a team player a candidate is

This decision-making interview question introduces a hypothetical situation that will most likely arise in the workplace, especially when business is more hectic than usual. A good candidate will know how to give constructive criticism while boosting the team’s morale.

What this reveals: Leadership capabilities

If you’re looking to hire for a managerial role, this decision-making interview question will help in knowing if a candidate has leadership qualities. Keep an eye out for somebody who can effectively weigh the pros and cons of a situation and can quickly make a sound judgement.

Read more about leadership interview questions.

What this reveals: Willingness to collaborate

Depending on the nature of the job, somebody who prefers making decisions by themselves can be proof of their independence. However, if the job requires team effort and collaboration, someone who can mingle and communicate their ideas well with others may be a better fit.

What this reveals: Adaptability

No employee is perfect, and sometimes when facing obstacles they will be left unable to make a quick decision. Analyse how well they weigh their options and also their time management skills in the situation they are talking about. Follow up on specific points, such as what their process was and what the objectives were.

Want to assess this skill further? If so, ask them these adaptability interview questions.

What this reveals: Quick thinking and decisiveness

Deadlines are sometimes difficult to handle. A good employee knows how to streamline tasks quickly and decide the order of their importance without sacrificing too much time. Somebody who is decisive in high-stress situations will be an efficient member of any team.

Somebody with superb critical thinking skills is a valuable addition to your team. They will be able to improve your daily operations with their quick thinking and decisiveness. These decision-making interview questions will help you narrow down the candidates since you will be able to examine how well the candidates make decisions.