4 Types of Job Interview Questions for Canadian Employers to Ask

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If you want to identify the best candidate for a job, you have to ask the right questions during the interview. And that takes preparation. In today's dynamic Canadian job market, where 58% of hiring managers anticipate hiring for new permanent roles in the second half of 2025 (from the latest Robert Half Demand for Skilled Talent Report), leveraging effective job interview questions Canada-based employers can use is more critical than ever to secure top talent.

You need to evaluate not only the job candidate’s skill sets and experience but also how the interviewee thinks. That requires you to ask the right types of interview questions, with both closed-ended questions and open-ended questions.

Other kinds of queries can produce even more nuanced information to help you with your hiring decision. Here are four types of job interview questions Canada-based employers ask, including when to use them and pitfalls to avoid.

Job interview questions for Canadian Employers:

Closed-ended interview questions
Open-ended interview questions
Hypothetical interview questions
Outside-the-box interview questions
Types of interview questions to avoid

1. Closed-ended interview questions

This category of job interview questions calls for simple, informational answers. Often, they can be just a "yes" or "no," but you should give candidates an opportunity to explain themselves. These questions can help you quickly gain basic information about the job seeker.

Here are some sample closed-ended interview questions:

"How many years did you work for your last employer?"

“How many years of experience do you have in this role or industry?”

"Have you worked in other industries or roles that might be relevant to this one?"

"What's the longest you've worked for any employer?"

· "Are you comfortable learning new technologies or software tools?"

"Are you comfortable working remotely or in a hybrid environment?"

"Do you prefer working with a team or independently?"

When to use them: Closed-ended job interview questions work best if you're trying to elicit specific information or set the stage for more complex questions.

Pitfall to avoid: Asking too many closed-ended questions in rapid-fire succession can make interviewees feel as though they're being interrogated, especially if you fail to link them back to the job criteria.

2. Open-ended interview questions

Open-ended questions require thought and oblige the job seeker to reveal attitudes or opinions. For example, a behavioural interview question asks the candidate to relate past on-the-job experiences to situations they’re likely to encounter again in the new position. Our latest Canadian Salary Guide survey data revealed that 51% of managers cite a lack of experienced candidates as a major challenge when succession planning. open-ended questions are vital in helping uncover a candidate's full potential and problem-solving abilities, even if their direct experience isn't an exact match.

Here are sample open-ended interview questions employers ask:

"Can you describe how you handle tight deadlines on the job?"

"Can you walk me through how you improved productivity at your last job?"

"Why do you want to work for this company?"

"How do you see AI or new technology changing the way you work in the future?"

"What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?"

"What's the biggest challenge you've ever faced in any job?"

"What direction do you see your career taking in five years?"

"Can you tell me about a time you used technology to make your work more efficient?"

"What could your current company do to be more successful?"

When to use them: Ask these questions frequently throughout the interview but intersperse them with closed-ended questions.

Pitfall to avoid: If you're not specific enough when phrasing the question, the applicant’s answer may veer off track, especially if you don't intercede and provide clarification.

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3. Hypothetical interview questions

These job interview questions Canada employers utilize, invite the candidate to resolve an imaginary situation or react to a given situation. With the rising impact of AI on hiring causing a need for new skills and 51% of managers (latest Robert Half Salary Guide data) reporting a shift in high-demand skills due to AI, hypothetical questions can be particularly effective.. They help assess a candidate's adaptability and willingness to learn and apply new technologies, which are crucial traits in the evolving Canadian workplace.

Here are sample hypothetical interview questions employers ask:

"Imagine a project you led didn't achieve its goals. How would you handle that situation?"

"If you noticed a decline in team morale, what would you do to improve things?"

"If you were the hiring manager for this position, what skills would you be looking for in a candidate?"

"Let's say you were given a generous budget for employee training. What would you spend it on?"

"If you had access to AI tools to improve your work or team performance, how would you use them?"

"If you were tasked with improving company-wide communication, what would be your approach?"

"Imagine your team needed to adopt a new technology quickly. How would you ensure a smooth transition?"

"If you could change anything about your early career choices, what would it be and why?"

"If you could have anyone in our industry as a mentor, who would you choose and why?"

When to use them: These kinds of questions are most useful when framed in the context of actual job situations.

Pitfall to avoid: Don't place too much emphasis on the specific answers a candidate gives to hypothetical answers. What you’re really looking for is a glimpse into the interviewee’s approach to solving problems and overcoming obstacles.

Read The Top 15 Interview Questions to Ask Job Candidates.

4. Outside-the-box interview questions

On the surface, these job interview questions could seem bizarre, but they may yield revealing answers. Consider these curveball questions:

"From what you've learned about this position, how would you describe it to a 6-year-old?"

"Who would play the lead role in a movie about your life?"

"What’s something important that people often misunderstand about you?"

"If you could have any superpower, which one would you choose and why?"

"If you could invent any new app or technology, what problem would it solve?"

"How would you explain social media to someone who's been completely disconnected for 30 years?"

"If you could invent any new app or technology, what problem would it solve?"

"If you could take one trip through time, where would you go?"

"What's the most difficult problem you've ever solved?"

When to use them: Employers have used these types of interview questions to see if the applicant can think outside the box. But most hiring managers should approach them with some caution. You may gain insights into a candidate's creativity and thought processes. But you might simultaneously seem unprofessional, if not a bit odd, if you don't handle these job interview questions carefully.

Pitfall to avoid: Don't overuse this approach. If you decide to ask this type of interview question, do it just once. A series of curveball questions may send your candidate scrambling to end the interview.

Want to learn more? Read hiring help insights

Types of interview questions you should avoid

A final word of caution: There are other categories of job interview questions employers ask, but they are best to avoid entirely.

One type is leading questions, which are those asked in a way that makes the answer you want obvious. If you use these kinds of job interview questions, you're not likely to get an honest answer, just the answer you want to hear. For example:

"You know a lot about team building, don't you?"

"I bet you're good at setting long-term goals. Right?"

"Is this the job that interests you most?"

Another is inappropriate or illegal questions. You can safely assume that questions about race, age, disability, medical information, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship and religion should be off-limits. Always ensure your questions comply with Canadian human rights legislation and provincial employment standards to maintain fair and equitable hiring practices. Focus solely on qualifications relevant to the role.

Understanding these interview techniques will help Canadian employers effectively identify and attract the skilled professionals needed to drive growth. Remember, efficient hiring is paramount in a market where 32% of candidates lose interest if they don't receive an update after two weeks, and the average time to staff a position is five weeks. For further insights on optimizing your hiring process and navigating the job interview questions Canada landscape, explore Robert Half's comprehensive resources on the Canadian job market:

Employment Outlook: Demand for Skilled Talent Report

Canada Salary Guide From Robert Half

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