The information gathered during an interview is essential for making a well-informed hiring decision. Unfortunately, many employers don't spend enough time preparing for these important meetings. A little planning goes a long way toward helping you hire the right person – and reduces the risk of choosing the wrong one.

Before meeting with job applicants, create a standard list of appropriate questions, and prioritize them by topic. Most interview questions fall into three general categories: job-related accomplishments, experience and skills; business aptitude and problem-solving abilities; and interpersonal skills.

Job-Related Questions

Job-related questions help you determine whether a candidate possesses the necessary background for the position. Examples include: "What are your primary responsibilities in your current position?" and "What skills would you like to develop?"

Business Aptitude and Problem-Solving Abilities

Questions that assess business aptitude and problem-solving abilities allow you to evaluate a person's strategic and creative thinking, general business knowledge and project management skills. A typical question might be, "What are the best ways to keep communication lines open with a manager who works off-site most of the time?"

Interpersonal Skills

Questions relating to interpersonal skills help you evaluate an applicant's sense of teamwork, honesty, career goals and ability to work under pressure. Typical questions might include, "When was the last time you dealt with conflict? And what did you do in that situation?" Because you're also trying to ensure a good fit with your organization, you might also ask, "What sort of work environment do you prefer?" or, "What kind of atmosphere brings out your best performance?"

To obtain further insight into a candidate's character or his or her global view of the workplace, consider asking the following questions:

• "What is your opinion on the role of technology in the administrative field?"
• "What do you think your current (or past) company could do to be more successful?"

While you want to make it clear you're not looking for proprietary or specific information, you are looking for the applicant to display a clear understanding of his or her employer's missions and goals as well as whether or not he or she thinks in terms of those objectives. Inability to answer this type of question may signify a lack of interest that could carry over into your organization. By planning the questions you're going to ask beforehand, and having a sense of what you hope to learn from the answers, you strengthen your chances of making the best hiring decision.