How to Come Up With the Best Job Application Questions

Job interviews are a crucial stage in the recruitment process. Everyone in their professional life has gone through job interviews at least a few times. You’ll rarely find a job that doesn’t have an interview process. Whether you’re a recruiter or an applicant, it’s important to know a few job application questions.

This article will include a list of the most common job application questions to help you prepare for them. But before we delve into the questions, it’s also important to understand the purpose of these questions. 

Understanding their importance makes both recruiters and applicants likelier to take the task to heart. Let’s begin.

The Importance of Job Application Questions

The primary purpose behind job application questions is to elicit information about an applicant. Its three major functions are to:

• Confirm an applicant’s qualification for the position.
• Demonstrate an applicant’s interest in the project.
• Ensure a match between company culture and applicant values.

The questions a recruiter asks elicit answers that give deeper insight into an applicant’s qualifications, skills, history, and character. 

For example, an employer can ask about an employment gap to determine its true cause and whether it counts toward a disqualifying point.

In contrast, an applicant may explain an employment gap during an interview to reveal the personal causes that necessitated a hiatus from work. – An employment gap is not always a bad thing. Many causes justify the same: serious injury, caring for an ailing relative, and others.

Standard Job Application Questions

• Why should our organization hire you?
• Why do you want to work with our company?
• What factors do you consider are the most important in your next job?
• What aspects did you enjoy most and least in your latest role?
• Are you willing to relocate across multiple locales?
• Will you require relocation assistance?
• Are you eligible to work in the U.S.?
• What days and hours are you available to work?
• What is the highest level of education you have?
• Why do you want this position?
• What do you know about our company?

An Important Note: Avoid These Types of Questions

Recruiters must also be careful with the questions they ask. Some questions can lead to legal trouble. Some questions can be perceived as an attempt to segregate an applicant from others. 

While the point of an interview is to pick prime candidates, employers are legally mandated to provide equal opportunity to all applicants. An applicant can only be disqualified using their merits (or lack thereof) and other disqualifying circumstances such as:

• Providing false information
• Concealing important information
• A pending criminal case
• Other job-specific disqualifying conditions

To this end, recruiters must avoid asking questions that can be misconstrued as an attempt to discriminate against an applicant. Don’t ask questions about:

• Disability
• Race
• Gender
• Country of Origin
• Marital Status
• Religion
• Age or Genetic Information

In Summary

Job interview questions are commonplace in every job application. They are a means for employers to determine an applicant’s suitability for a role. Knowing a few of these job interview questions will benefit applicants and recruiters by allowing them to prepare for the interview.