7 Interview Questions That Determine Emotional IntelligenceWho you hire casts the foundation for your company's success, so make sure you're asking questions that reveal a candidate's emotional intelligence.

ByCarolyn Sun

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

Determining who you hire for a job plays a big part in forming yourcompany's cultureand ensuring its future success. Selecting informativeinterview questionscan be a key factor in finding the right employees -- as well as weeding out the ones that won't fit. A candidate's answers can be telling.

While different companies embody various values and cultures, success in the workplace is strongly influenced by a person'semotional intelligence, a quality that should be a non-negotiable when vetting job candidates, saysMariah DeLeon, vice-president of people at workplace ratings and review siteGlassdoor.

Here are seven interview questions that can draw revealing answers from the job candidates you interview -- and get you on your way to finding employees with stellar emotional intelligence.

Related:8 Revealing Interview Questions to Hire Standout Staff

Who inspires you and why?

The job candidate's answer often gives the interviewer a peek into who the interviewee models him or herself after. The response can also highlight the sorts of behavioral patterns the interviewee respects, saysCraig Cincotta, chief of staff and vice-president of communications at online home improvement marketplacePorch, where he's heavily involved in team expansion and hiring.

If you were starting a company tomorrow, what would be its top three values?

Every good relationship starts with trust and aligned values. Insight into a person's priorities -- as well as honesty and integrity -- can emerge in the candidate's answer, explains Robert Alvarez, the CFO of ecommerce platformBigcommerce.

Did you build lasting friendships while working at another job?

It takes a while for people to build relationships -- and being able to do so is a sign of solid emotional intelligence, Alvarez says. "[A lasting friendship] tells you that relationships and caring about people are important to the person."

GaudiLab | Shutterstock

If business priorities change, describe how you would help your team understand and carry out the shifted goals?

每个公司重点发生转移,every job, so look for candidates who are flexible and possess the skills to help carry out change. Hire employees who are self-aware, motivated and display empathy advises DeLeon. "These skills will help employees better work in teams."

Related:The 5 Must-Ask Interview Questions to Determine if Someone's a Fit

What skill or expertise do you feel like you’re still missing?

Curiosity and the desire to learn are vital signs that a prospective employee wants to get better at something. "People who struggle with this question are the people who think they already know it all," warns Alvarez. "These are the people you want to steer away from."

Shutterstock.com

Can you teach me something, as if I’ve never heard of it before? (It can be anything: A skill, a lesson or a puzzle.)

A job candidate's answer to this question can reveal several qualities:

  • Whether the person is willing to take the time to think before speaking.

  • If the candidate has the technical ability to explain something to a person who is less knowledgeable in the subject.

  • Whether the candidate asks empathetic questions to the person being taught, such as, "Is this making sense?"

What are the top three factors you would attribute to your success?

The answer to this question can determine whether a person is selfless or selfish, Alvarez says. "When people talk about their own success, listen to whether someone talks about 'me-me-me' or 'I-I-I.' Or whether they talk about 'the team,' 'we' or 'us.'"

"Look for a team player who brings something positive to the company," Cincotta shares. "Someone can be the smartest person in the room, but if they are not someone you enjoy working with -- because they are more concerned with their own success over that of the company -- they won't be a fit."

Related:7 Interview Questions To Help You Hire Superstars

This article was originally published on July 20, 2016.

Carolyn Sun is a freelance writer for Entrepreneur.com. Find out more onTwitterandFacebook.

Related Topics

Growing a Business

Squash the Online Hate — A Business Owner's Guide to Taming Trolls on Social Media

Dealing with online trolls is a common challenge for public figures and business owners in the digital age, with a significant portion of the population experiencing online harassment.

Business News

Chef Gordon Ramsay Says There's a Simple Secret to Growing a Business. He'd Know—He Has 60 Restaurants.

The famed chef's newest restaurant venture, Ramsay's Kitchen, opens Thursday in Oklahoma City.

Business News

Social Media App X Is Struggling to Attract Users — But Another Once-Beloved Platform Is Making an Unexpected Comeback

Agency executives say brands that have returned to X aren't spending as much on advertising.

Business News

DJ Envy Associate Arrested For 'Ponzi-Like' Scheme, Defrauding Investors Out of 'Millions'

Cesar Pina, a long-standing business associate of DJ Envy, was arrested for one count of wire fraud due to his alleged involvement in an investment fraud scheme worth millions of dollars.

Marketing

Trying to Create Engaging Content for a Niche Industry? Here Are 5 Strategies to Help You Succeed.

Explore effective strategies for crafting specialized content that resonates with niche industries.