Articles : 3 Questions to Ask Candidates During a Pandemic

The rules for the kinds of questions employers ask during an interview are somewhat being re-written amid COVID-19. With companies becoming more flexible with working from home, employers are tweaking their questions to candidates to help them decipher if they can fit into the new normal by working in non-traditional environments.
 
Below are three questions you can consider asking during an interview.
 
1) How have you been spending your time and what have you learned about yourself during the pandemic?
Asking a more personal question like this can help you as a recruiter learn more about the person you’re interviewing and their work ethics. If the perspective candidate talks about how they’ve picked up a new skill/habit or competed a number or projects while at home – this is a positive sign. It means that despite the uncertainty they strive to keep themselves busy and productive, which reflects what their attitude will be like at work.
 
2) What is their flexibility like with working from home?
With the COVID-19 crisis proving that working from home is possible, many companies are making that switch to become more flexible with that option. If you’re one of those companies, it’s a good idea to ask what the candidate feels about working from home. Some people may not have the best environment around them to work from home, so they may be opposed to it, while others love the idea and feel that it’s very efficient for them.
 
3) Do they have any concerns about working in the office whether full-time or part-time after the pandemic?
It’s important to have a discussion with the candidate about their concerns, if they have any, about working in an office with people once things slowly get back to normal. They may be wondering if all your employees were working from home from the get-go or were they able to work both at home and in the office. If it was a combination, they may be wondering what you did as a company to keep employees safe.
 
For more questions, you can check out President of Toronto Recruiters Marc Belaiche, CPA, CA discuss this topic here.
 
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