Need Help Developing Impactful Job Interview Questions

Seeking Assistance in Crafting Effective Job Interview Questions

Hello everyone!

Quick Overview: I’m looking for guidance on formulating impactful interview questions for candidates applying for a new position in our organization.

We’ve recently created a role for a Contracts and Procurement Administrator that will report directly to me. This is my first time being involved in both developing the position description and leading the hiring process.

We are seeking a candidate with around 5 years of experience for this junior-level position—not entry-level. Currently, I manage these responsibilities alone in our organization, but I successfully advocated for adding another team member.

The new hire will handle essential tasks such as issuing purchase orders and change orders, managing suppliers, and more. This will allow me to concentrate on strategic initiatives. Therefore, I need to ask insightful questions to help identify candidates who can truly perform the job well.

I’m looking for someone who is capable of independent work, can enforce procurement protocols, and can identify and propose solutions for process inefficiencies. Since our team works primarily remotely, the ideal candidate must be both self-sufficient and trustworthy.

What questions can I ask to ensure that candidates possess a strong understanding of procurement and contract management? I need to evaluate their ability to manage responsibilities in my absence, especially during times when we have RFPs in circulation.

I realize many applicants can present themselves well in interviews but may lack practical knowledge, while others, like myself, might struggle in interviews yet are very knowledgeable about the work. What impactful questions would you recommend to help me identify the best candidates for this role rather than those who are just good at interviewing? Thank you for your help!

Best lead generation tool for finding Australia-based contacts?

What’s the best lead generation tool for locating contacts in Australia?

I’m on the hunt for a reliable tool to help me find contact information for professionals specifically in Australia. I’ve previously used Lusha, ZoomInfo, and RocketReach for APAC and US contacts, but I’m curious to know which one performs best for Australian contacts. Any suggestions?

How much of a fee do graduate schemes take

How Much Do Graduate Schemes Charge?

Hi everyone,

I’m nearing the end of my data science graduate scheme, which I began just two months after finishing university. The program was structured with 3 months of training at an annual salary of £22,000, followed by a 9-month placement where I earned £25,000 annually. During the initial training period, I participated in five in-person courses over three days each, received interview coaching, tackled case studies, and successfully completed my SAS base exam—all covered by my company.

As my contract is coming to a close, I’m preparing to negotiate my salary with the company that has decided to keep me. I’m curious about the approximate amount they might be paying the graduate scheme company for my placement. I expect it to be significantly more than the £26,000 total I’ve earned, considering the costs of training, providing me with a laptop, ongoing support, and securing my placement.

Any rough estimates would be greatly appreciated as I prepare for my salary negotiation!

A bit of background: I graduated with a First in Mathematics and Data Science and have a year of experience. I can code in SAS (1 year), Python (7 years), and R (3 years). Hope that context helps!

Call expectations and requirements.

Call Expectations and Daily Responsibilities

I’ve recently transitioned into BD recruitment and am now tasked with making 100 calls daily. Out of these, I need to connect with the right person for 10 business calls, alongside preparing 8 speculative CVs. Additionally, my role includes candidate qualifications, RTMs, and holding 2 client meetings each week.

I can’t help but feel that making 100 calls every day is quite demanding, especially while trying to keep up with my spec CVs and administrative duties. On top of that, we often have meetings that eat into our time, and there’s an unspoken expectation to stay late, as leaving at 6 pm doesn’t seem to sit well with management.

To stay on top of my pipeline, I also spend time job spotting and identifying the appropriate contacts for conversations each day.

I’m curious about what others in the industry typically handle on a daily basis. Is this level of expectation standard practice?

UK Nurse Recruitment

UK Nurse Recruitment

Hello everyone,

I’ve launched a recruitment agency focused on staffing nursing homes across the UK.

I initially tested the waters while working full-time, and I managed to secure roles by sending out 100-200 emails.

I’m curious to know if this venture is still profitable. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Simplifying the recruitment and making it fair for all parties

Streamlining Recruitment for a Fairer Experience

Hello everyone,

I’ve been developing a startup concept for the past few months and would greatly appreciate your insights. My aim is to create a recruitment process that’s more equitable and transparent for both candidates and companies, with a focus on IT positions.

Here’s the plan: Typically, recruitment involves three key assessments—technical skills, soft skills, and cultural fit. My system is designed to tackle the first two aspects, leaving companies to solely evaluate cultural fit before making a hiring decision. Do you think this approach could be effective? I understand there are nuances, but if you have confidence in the assessments, would you be inclined to adopt this system?

Additionally, even with trust in the assessments, would your organization still feel the need to conduct further technical evaluations?

The system will also ensure that only five candidates who best align with the company’s criteria are shortlisted. To aid candidates in their growth, companies will be required to provide constructive feedback to those who are not selected. Would that be beneficial in your opinion?

Thank you very much for your input!

Virtual Career Fair

Virtual Career Fair Inquiry
What are the top platforms to discover virtual career fairs specifically for individuals in the STEM field, or to find free virtual career fairs?

To everyone in Finance

Hello Finance Community,

I hope this message finds you well! I’m a recruiter specializing primarily in buy-side finance, focusing on roles like Quant Developers and Data professionals. While I also cover Machine Learning Engineering and Product Management, those areas are not my main focus.

I’m reaching out to tap into your expertise—could you recommend newsletters or mailing lists that provide insights on who’s making waves in the finance sector? I’ve noticed many founders are active in this space, and I believe staying informed is valuable.

Thank you all for your help!

CRM for small headhunting firm.

Subject: CRM Recommendations for Small Headhunting Firm

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out with another question about CRM options. After reviewing previous posts, I’ve been looking into eWay CRM for its Outlook integration, as well as Microsoft Dynamics for the same reason.

In the past, I’ve worked with overly complex databases, and I’m keen to avoid complicating our streamlined system. As a headhunting firm with a small client base in a niche industry and region, we primarily use Microsoft products for email and phone communications, and Outlook is where I keep all my contacts.

Since we don’t do any advertising and don’t require integration with accounting systems, our needs are relatively simple. I’m looking for a CRM mainly for record-keeping, compiling target lists (which we need to share with clients), and email integration.

I’d appreciate any recommendations you might have. Thank you!

conversation with recruiter

Conversation with a Recruiter

Hi everyone! I’m a bit unsure if this is appropriate to post here, but I could use some advice.

I have a meeting scheduled with a recruiter soon, where they want to learn more about me. As I understand it, they’re looking to gather information to represent me well for a potential position.

I’m contemplating whether to mention the gap in my resume (from graduation to now) due to a family emergency. What do you think? Is it important to bring that up?

Aside from the job description, are there any other points about myself that I should highlight during our conversation? I tend to get anxious in interviews and sometimes come off as either too formal or too casual.

Thanks so much for any tips you can offer! Wishing everyone some good luck in finding unexpected blessings!