9 Strategic-Thinking Interview Questions to Ask in Your Next Interview

With strategic thinkers, your organisation can make effective decisions that fetch desired results. Use our strategic-thinking interview questions to guide you in identifying candidates with strong analytical skills and the ability to make your company vision a reality.

What this shows: a good understanding of the role Someone who answers this well shows a deep understanding of the job description. It also reveals professional experience and a working knowledge of what the role requires. Knowing how this skill can shape the company’s future shows the candidate’s awareness of your offered position’s context within the company’s overall vision. Also, grab this opportunity to see if the candidate’s beliefs match your own.

What this shows: analytical thinking The candidate’s answer clues you in on their methods and how they evaluate possible solutions and risks. See if they can give you a specific example and observe how well they outline their steps to achieve the goal. Did they spend enough time on research and analysis? Did they pay special attention to the details? Assess if the candidate’s process matches your company’s preference.

What this shows: foresight All projects have potential risks, which strategists should recognise and anticipate. The employees are future-proofing your business, so they should be prepared for upcoming challenges. Staying competitive requires business flexibility and resilience, which strategic thinkers can ensure with risk-mitigating measures.

What this shows: a big-picture mindset Good strategic thinkers apply methods that answer an organisation’s unique needs. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy in business planning. While candidates should have a systematic approach, they must be able to adapt to different measures of success and protocols. Their strategies need to fulfil the company’s mission and goals.

What this shows: collaboration skills No strategist works alone. They need coordinators and implementers for strategies to work and make positive changes. But first, plans need to be communicated clearly across all members. Processes need to be in place to ensure everyone can carry out the project from start to finish. A feedback mechanism also helps iron out kinks and resolve issues before they worsen.

What this shows: diligence A strategist’s work doesn’t end with planning. They also constantly check how their formulated project is coming along. How can they speed up its completion? How can they improve the system? Being there to support and troubleshoot issues shows a strong sense of accountability.

What this shows: resilience and flexibility A strategy can fail even with the most careful planning. But what happens when it goes down the drain? After listening to why the strategy failed, focus on how the candidate identified its pain points and learned from them. Pay attention to how they bounced back and came up with more solid solutions.

What this shows: being results-oriented An impressive strategy delivers results. Someone with strong strategic skills should know the value of KPIs (key performance indicators) in determining a strategy’s effectiveness. If the candidate stays faithful to the KPIs, they remain creative in formulating and adjusting processes from which the company benefits.

Several skills stem from good strategic thinking, including decision-making, adaptability and leadership. Having the confidence to set ambitious goals, inspire team members, and foresee challenges—are all valuable traits that can strengthen your workforce. Want to know their other skills, too? Check these analytical and situational interview questions and use them for the interview.