Best Questions to Ask in a Phone Screen
Strategic questions to ask during phone screen interviews, helping you assess candidates effectively and make informed hiring decisions.
1What interests you most about this role and our company?
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What interests you most about this role and our company?
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Why this works
Reveals their motivation and research while showing whether they've done their homework about the company and position.
2What's your experience with the key technologies we use?
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What's your experience with the key technologies we use?
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Why this works
Assesses their technical skills while revealing their familiarity with the tools and technologies required for the role.
3How do you approach learning new skills and technologies?
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How do you approach learning new skills and technologies?
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Why this works
Shows their learning ability while revealing their approach to professional development and skill acquisition.
4What's your ideal work environment and team structure?
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What's your ideal work environment and team structure?
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Why this works
Reveals their preferences while helping you assess whether they'll fit well with your company culture and team dynamics.
5How do you handle tight deadlines and high-pressure situations?
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How do you handle tight deadlines and high-pressure situations?
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Why this works
Assesses their stress management while revealing their approach to handling challenging work situations.
6What's your experience working with remote teams or distributed teams?
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What's your experience working with remote teams or distributed teams?
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Why this works
Shows their remote work experience while revealing their ability to collaborate effectively in virtual environments.
7How do you approach problem-solving and troubleshooting?
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How do you approach problem-solving and troubleshooting?
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Why this works
Reveals their analytical thinking while showing their approach to identifying and resolving issues.
8What's your experience with project management and meeting deadlines?
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What's your experience with project management and meeting deadlines?
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Why this works
Assesses their organizational skills while revealing their ability to manage time and deliver results.
9How do you handle feedback and constructive criticism?
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How do you handle feedback and constructive criticism?
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Why this works
Shows their receptiveness to feedback while revealing their approach to learning and improvement.
10What's your approach to collaborating with different personality types?
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What's your approach to collaborating with different personality types?
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Why this works
Reveals their interpersonal skills while showing their ability to work effectively with diverse team members.
11How do you stay current with industry trends and best practices?
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How do you stay current with industry trends and best practices?
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Why this works
Shows their commitment to learning while revealing their approach to staying updated in their field.
12What's your experience with client or customer interaction?
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What's your experience with client or customer interaction?
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Why this works
Assesses their communication skills while revealing their ability to work with external stakeholders.
13How do you approach mentoring or helping junior team members?
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How do you approach mentoring or helping junior team members?
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Why this works
Shows their leadership potential while revealing their approach to knowledge sharing and team development.
14What's your experience with agile methodologies or project frameworks?
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What's your experience with agile methodologies or project frameworks?
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Why this works
Assesses their familiarity with modern project management while revealing their experience with structured approaches.
15How do you handle competing priorities and multiple projects?
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How do you handle competing priorities and multiple projects?
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Why this works
Shows their multitasking ability while revealing their approach to managing complex workloads.
16What's your experience with data analysis and reporting?
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What's your experience with data analysis and reporting?
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Why this works
Assesses their analytical skills while revealing their ability to work with data and create insights.
17How do you approach building relationships with stakeholders?
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How do you approach building relationships with stakeholders?
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Why this works
Shows their relationship-building skills while revealing their approach to managing stakeholder relationships.
18What's your experience with quality assurance and testing?
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What's your experience with quality assurance and testing?
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Why this works
Assesses their attention to detail while revealing their approach to ensuring quality and accuracy.
19How do you handle ambiguity and unclear requirements?
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How do you handle ambiguity and unclear requirements?
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Why this works
Shows their adaptability while revealing their approach to working with incomplete or changing information.
20What questions do you have about the role, team, or company?
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What questions do you have about the role, team, or company?
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Why this works
Reveals their engagement and interest while showing what they consider important to know about the opportunity.
Best Practices for Phone Screen Interviews
Expert tips and techniques for getting the most out of these questions.
Best Practices
Prepare a Structured Interview Format
Create a consistent format with key questions that help you assess all candidates fairly and systematically.
Focus on Behavioral and Situational Questions
Ask questions that reveal how candidates handle real situations and challenges they'll face in the role.
Assess Cultural Fit and Soft Skills
Evaluate communication skills, problem-solving approach, and alignment with company values and culture.
Question Sequences
The Technical Assessment
The Cultural Fit Focus
Common Pitfalls
Don't Focus Only on Technical Skills
Assess soft skills, cultural fit, and communication abilities in addition to technical qualifications.
Avoid Leading Questions
Ask open-ended questions that allow candidates to provide genuine responses rather than leading them to specific answers.
Don't Skip the Candidate's Questions
Give candidates time to ask questions about the role, company, and team to assess their engagement and interest.