Understanding Interview Questions
Effective interview questions are critical to identifying the most qualified candidate while ensuring a fair, consistent, and inclusive hiring process. Thoughtfully developed questions allow hiring managers and search committees to evaluate candidates based on job-related skills, experiences, and alignment with UCLA’s core values.
Why Interview Question Design Matters
Well-crafted interview questions help ensure:
- Fair and consistent evaluation of all candidates
- Focus on job-relevant experience and competencies
- Legal compliance with federal and state employment laws
- Insight into a candidate’s future performance potential
Using a structured interview approach—where each candidate is asked the same base-level set of questions—improves objectivity and reduces bias in decision-making.
Best Practices for Developing Interview Questions
Before you begin reviewing applicants or conducting interviews:
- Work with your Search Committee | Interview Panel to develop questions tailored to your position’s qualifications and needs
- Establish a set of base-level interview questions that will be asked of all candidates.
- Review the candidates selected for interview resumes and highlight possible information for follow up questions specific to their expressed experience on their resume.
- Use a selection rubric to evaluate responses consistently
Types of Interview Questions
Behavioral-Based Questions
These prompt candidates to describe how they’ve handled specific situations in the past. This method helps predict future performance based on actual experience.
Examples:
- “Tell me about a time you had to manage competing priorities. What was the outcome?”
- “Describe a situation where you encountered a difficult problem at work. How did you solve it?”
Best Practice: The majority of your interview questions should be behavioral-based.
Situational or Open-Ended Questions
These ask candidates how they would respond to hypothetical job-related situations.
Examples:
- “If you were faced with a tight deadline and limited resources, how would you manage the project?”
- “How would you handle a disagreement with a coworker on your team?”
Follow-Up Questions
Committee members may ask relevant follow-up questions to gain more depth or clarify a candidate’s response. These should relate directly to:
- The candidate’s answer to a base-level question
- Work-related information in the resume or cover letter
What Not to Ask: Legal vs. Illegal Questions
All interview questions must be job-related. Avoid any questions that touch on personal characteristics protected by law.
✅ Legal Questions
- “Can you describe your experience relevant to
this role?” - “Are you available to work the required
schedule?” - “Can you perform the essential duties of this role,
with or without accommodation?” - “What are your long-term career goals?”
❌ Illegal Questions
- “How old are you?”
- “Are you married or do you have children?”
- “Do you have any health problems?”
- “Where are you from?
If you’re unsure about a question’s appropriateness, consult your Talent Acquisition Consultant.
Support & Resources
CHR Talent Acquisition is here to support you. Your TAC can help you:
- Develop behavioral-based and job-specific interview questions
- Establish a consistent and compliant question set for all candidates
- Review your selection rubric and scoring process
- Interview Question Database
Questions?
If you have questions, please contact your Campus Human Resources Talent Acquisition Consultant (TAC).