A “yes” or “no” response during an interview isn't going to adequately answer your questions. Some applicants will go ahead and elaborate, yet others will not. Here are some samples of open-ended questions that will get results:

• What are two things about you that your last supervisor raved about?

• Tell me about a time when a customer wasn't happy and you turned the situation around.

• Please let me know what you have done in the past when you had a conflict with two things that needed to be done at once.

• Why are you the best person for this job?

• Everyone has at least one weakness. What is one of yours and how are you working to overcome it?

• I want to hear about your strengths, too. Please tell me about them.

• What is it about this job opening that brings you here today?

• What do you think a person can learn from constructive feedback?

If someone doesn't have an answer to one of the questions, offer a moment to think about it. Don't stare him in the eyes while you are waiting. If he still doesn't have an answer after a minute, ask him if he would like to go on to the next question. Take notes during the interview and keep them in your files along with the application.