Guide
Interview questions that actually tell you something
The default small business interview is a friendly conversation that wanders, after which the owner has a feeling. That feeling correlates strongly with how much the candidate resembles the owner and weakly with how well they will do the job.
Five fixed questions, scored as you go, fixes most of it — and takes less time than the conversation it replaces.
The short version
- Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order, or you cannot compare them.
- Score each answer in writing before the next question. Memory reorders itself in favour of whoever you liked.
- Ask about work they have actually done, not what they would hypothetically do.
- A short paid work sample predicts performance better than any question.
Why interview structure matters more than the questions
Because comparison is the point. Different questions for different candidates produces impressions that cannot be weighed against each other, and leaves you with no record of why you chose who you chose.
There is a second reason that matters in a small business. Consistent, job-related questions scored against written criteria are your best evidence that a hiring decision was made on merit. An unstructured chat leaves you with recollection, which is worth very little if a decision is ever challenged.
And a third: structure makes interviews shorter. A fixed set of five takes 40 minutes. A wandering conversation takes an hour and ten, and you will still have missed something you needed.
The five interview questions
Four about work the candidate has actually done, phrased to require a specific instance, and one about why this role in particular.
- 1
"Walk me through the last time you did [the core task of this role]."
The most valuable question you can ask. Listen for specifics, ownership, and whether the detail holds up when you ask a follow-up. Vagueness here is the strongest negative signal in an interview.
- 2
"Tell me about something that went wrong and what you changed afterwards."
You are testing two things: whether they can describe a failure without deflecting, and whether anything changed as a result. Candidates who cannot name a mistake are either inexperienced or not being straight with you.
- 3
"What part of your current job do you do without being asked?"
Reveals what they actually care about, as opposed to what they think you want to hear. Often the most genuinely informative answer of the interview.
- 4
"When did you last have to tell someone something they didn't want to hear?"
In a small team this matters enormously. You need people who flag a problem early rather than hope it resolves. Ask for a specific instance, not a philosophy.
- 5
"What made you apply for this one?"
Asked last, once they have relaxed. You are listening for whether they engaged with the actual role or are applying broadly. Either is acceptable — but it changes how you'd pitch the offer.
Interview questions that predict nothing
Hypotheticals, self-assessments, brainteasers and anything a candidate can prepare a polished answer for — all popular, all weak predictors of performance.
Don't
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
Instead
"What would you want to be doing more of a year from now?" — answerable, and relevant to whether the role fits.
Don't
"What's your greatest weakness?"
Instead
"Tell me about something that went wrong and what you changed." Same intent, unrehearsable.
Don't
"How would you handle an angry customer?"
Instead
"Tell me about the last angry customer you dealt with." Behaviour beats hypothesis.
Don't
"Why should we hire you?"
Instead
Nothing. You already have their application; this question only tests confidence.
Don't
Brainteasers and puzzles
Instead
A paid work sample. Thirty minutes of the real job tells you more than any riddle.
Don't
"Tell me about yourself"
Instead
Open with question one. You have twenty minutes of signal available; don't spend five on a warm-up.
How to score interview answers so candidates are comparable
Score each answer one to five immediately after it is given, in writing, before asking the next question.
Scoring at the end does not work. By then your overall impression has formed and you will score backwards from it, which reintroduces exactly the bias structure is meant to remove.
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 5 | Specific, owned, with detail that held up under a follow-up |
| 4 | Specific and credible, slightly thin on their personal role |
| 3 | Plausible but general — described the team, not themselves |
| 2 | Vague, or redirected the question |
| 1 | Could not produce an example |
Then compare totals. If your scores and your instinct disagree, that disagreement is worth examining rather than overriding — it is usually the most useful thing the process will tell you.
Common questions
How many interviews should a small business run?
One structured interview plus a short paid work sample for your top one or two candidates. Three conversational rounds for a $70,000 role costs you strong candidates to slowness without improving the decision.
What can't you ask in a job interview in Australia?
Avoid questions about protected attributes that are not relevant to the inherent requirements of the role — age, marital or relationship status, pregnancy or family plans, religion, political views, ethnicity, or health and disability unrelated to the work. If you need to know whether someone can perform a specific physical task, ask about the task.
Should I pay candidates for a work sample?
Yes, if it is more than about thirty minutes or if you would get commercial value from the output. It is fair, it signals how you treat people, and it meaningfully increases the proportion of strong candidates who agree to do it.
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