Are you a Canadian employer looking to fill your vacant job positions with skilled international workers? These 10 interview questions can help you learn more about each of your interviewees and recruit the right international candidates for the job.
Related: 6 Benefits of Recruiting International Employees for Canadian Businesses
10 Unique Interview Questions to Ask Potential International Employees (Canadian Employers)
Asking unique and insightful questions during your interview with a potential employee can be a great way to assess a candidate’s qualification for a job position while going beyond the candidate’s résumé. This will help you to not only understand a candidate’s in-demand hard skills, but also the soft skills and other traits that make a certain candidate a good fit for your employee base and company.
Here are some unique questions you can ask your candidates during the interview:
- Describe your ideal working environment.
This question can allow you to see how closely your working environment aligns with what the international candidate is looking for. If there are some differences, they can help you to think about how you can adapt your current workplace environment to accommodate the candidate. Though, differences may also indicate that the candidate is not a good fit.
- What part(s) of our company’s mission resonate(s) with you?
This question can indicate whether or not an international candidate researched the company (company values, required skills, etc.) prior to the interview. Candidates proven to have done this work beforehand can demonstrate a level of initiative that makes them a good fit for the position they applied for, as the extra time and effort put into the research often translates to the job itself.
- What excites you most about working in Canada?
For candidates looking to move to Canada for work, this question will give you a deeper insight into their motivations for choosing this country in particular.
- Do you prefer working independently or in a team?
This question can tell you a lot about an international candidate’s working style. If a candidate performs better solo or with others, it may also affect the types of projects they focus on if hired.
- How would your coworkers describe you?
This question can provide some insight into how the international candidate works with others, particularly from a third-person perspective. If these people also serve as professional references, you can compare their descriptions of the candidate to the candidate’s answer.
- How do you approach problems in the workplace?
Candidates who can efficiently problem-solve are often the best candidates for a job, as they are capable of handling situations that are difficult or unexpected. A candidate’s answer to this question can tell you about how they find solutions to problems in the workplace and/or what their thought process is when faced with a challenge.
- What drew you to this position?
This question can help you learn more about an international candidate’s career interests and what they are looking for in a job.
- What is one thing you have learned in your career so far that has helped you up to now?
A candidate’s answer to this question can be simple, complex, sometimes funny—the possibilities are endless. In any case, it can demonstrate that candidates are willing to take what they learn and directly apply it to their work routines.
- How do you plan to continue developing your professional skills and knowledge?
One extremely important trait in an international candidate is the desire for continuous improvement and professional development. No matter how far the international candidate is into their professional career, there is always room for growth and learning, and this question can help you assess this motivation from candidate to candidate.
- Do you have any questions for me?
Giving the international candidate the opportunity to ask questions about the company/job can help them to learn more about the position and decide whether or not they want to pursue the job further. It can also allow the candidate to receive clarification on anything they are unsure of or more information about a certain aspect of the job offering.
How Can I Recruit Foreign Workers for My Canadian Business?
With the help of No Limit to Canada, you can recruit the best global talent from a vast network of international candidates in your industry, gaining immediate access to potential hires that will greatly benefit your business. No Limit to Canada streamlines the international hiring process by saving you money and resources, minimizing administrative burdens, and offering valuable advice and support from start to finish.
Give us a call at 888-391-1115 or contact us via email at info@nolimittocanada.com. We are available to answer all your questions on international recruitment and help you hire the ideal international candidates for your Canadian business.