An interview is your opportunity to find out what a resume can’t really tell you about a job candidate: is this person the right match for the job? When you have several candidates who are all qualified for the position on paper, insight to their personalities, strengths, weaknesses, skills, knowledge, and motivation will determine who should be pursued.

In order to make interviews as effective as possible, short answer questions should be avoided. Give the candidates several opportunities to speak and expound, and listen closely. Take the time to get to know each of them as well as possible so you can see how they could be valuable to your company, or how they could be potentially damaging.

(Note: Keep in mind that there are some things that you must never ask job candidates about in an interview. It’s against the law to take any protected class information into consideration in the hiring process, so be sure to avoid the following topics in your interviews: age, race, nationality, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy status, disability, and religious affiliation.)

Here are insightful interview questions to help you find the candidate that best aligns with your company. These are questions that could be used in any field, but make sure to also include some that are specific to the position.

Tell me about yourself. 

This is a great way to start off an interview because it’s a low-key question that puts the candidate at ease, while still allowing you to start getting a feel for the person’s confidence, personality, and communication skills.

Why are you the right person for this job? 

This questions tells you two things: First, what sets this candidate apart from from his competition? What in his credentials, experience, or education would uniquely benefit your company? And second, how much does the candidate really know about this company and position (which unveils true interest in the opportunity or lack thereof)?

Tell me about a time you made a mistake and how you handled it. 

This classic question tests one’s humility, self-awareness, and ability to learn from mistakes. This is also an opportunity for you to learn about your interviewee’s problem solving skills and how he handles stress.

What are your top 3 motivators? 

Work can be extremely challenging and sometimes monotonous. Your employees need to be motivated enough to push through and consistently perform well. Does this person’s motivation align with your company’s culture?

What frustrates you? 

This question is telling when trying to get to know a candidate’s personality. A response could tell you if this person is likely to work well alone, on a team, work quickly, be a perfectionist, etc. You can also learn how flexible a candidate is, and how well he is able to resolve conflict and put priorities in order.

How would your current coworkers describe you and your work performance?

The goal of this question is to assess how the candidate works with other people as well as how he views his interactions with others. Do people like working with him and vice versa? Is he a team player?

How would your boss describe you? When I call him, what will he say are your strengths and your areas of work that need improvement?

This question is another form of “what are your strengths and weaknesses,” and usually elicits an honest response. The candidate will know the interviewer will find out anyway if he contacts his current boss, and will want his response to align with his boss’s answer. This is also another test of how the candidate perceives his current employer’s opinion, how he handles constructive criticism, and how a working relationship with this candidate might be.

From everything you’ve learned about this position and our company, tell me how you think you would make a contribution.

Only someone who has really done his research on the company could provide a good answer to this question. See if a candidate is really interested in your specific company and it’s history, obstacles, goals, and future, or if he just makes up a generic response on the spot.

“What single project or task would you consider your most significant career accomplishment to date? Walk me through the plan, how you managed it, how you measured its success, and what the biggest mistakes you made were.”

After ten years of looking, Lou Adler, author of The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired and Hire With Your Head, finally found what he thought to be the best interview question when deciding whether or not to hire someone. This question will reveal whether or not a candidate is confident in his work as well as if he is humble enough to give others some credit. It will also give you insight into his prior professional successes.