15 Legal Employee Interview Questions

There are likely a lot of questions you want to ask of a potential employee during an interview to determine whether he is the right fit for your organization. However, because of the many laws restricting what information you can ask of candidates, this is not always possible. Assuming you don't want to get in trouble with authorities, it’s important to know the questions that you can and should ask.

Gary M. Grobman, in his book “The Nonprofit Handbook, Third Edition,” created a list of 15 interview questions that you are legally allowed to ask applicants. You should be sure to include some variation of these questions during your next interview:

• What background and experience make you feel you would be suitable for this position?
• What is your educational background, and how has that prepared you for this job?
• What attracted you to apply for a position with this organization?
• What separates you from other applicants?
• Which former employers or teachers may be consulted concerning your abilities?
• What are your long-term professional goals?
• What are the two or three things that are most important to you in a new professional setting?
• What motivates you to perform?
• What are some of your most important accomplishments in your previous position, and what did you do that was special to achieve them?
• Describe a situation in which you had a conflict with another individual, and explain what you did to resolve it.
• Are you more comfortable working with a team on a group assignment, or by yourself?
• What are your significant strengths and weaknesses?
• Why are you shifting direction in employment?
• Where do you see yourself professionally in five years?
• How do you feel about your current/previous employer(s)?