Top Phone Screening Interview Questions to Ask New Candidates for Factory and Warehouse Jobs

Finding the right warehouse and factory employees is no easy task. The ideal employee needs to have the right availability, the right skills, as well as the right personality. When you’re interviewing candidates, it’s best to start off with a preliminary phone interview to gauge whether they may be right for your organization. However, if you don’t ask the right questions – the answers you get won’t be very helpful. In this article, we cover the best phone screening interview questions to ask your candidates to find the right warehouse and factory employees.

What are phone screening interview questions?

The interview process for factory and warehouses can differ from company to company. In most cases, organizations conduct an initial interview over the phone to assess whether the candidate is one that may be a fit for the company and to weed out candidates that are not right for the role. In some cases, there is an additional in-person or phone interview after the initial one. In other cases, there is only the phone interview before an offer is given to the candidate.

A phone screening interview saves both the employer and the candidate time because it is typically quick and to the point. Often, phone interviews last about ten to fifteen minutes, and are conducted by a human resources manager rather than a hiring manager. Phone interviews are the first engagement between the employer and the candidate.

Phone screening interview questions to ask your candidates

Because phone interviews are short, it’s important to have all your ducks in a row and know exactly what types of questions you should ask. Remember, this is a screening interview, which means you have the opportunity to follow up with more detailed or specific questions later if you want to. The purpose of this interview is to determine whether you want to learn more about this candidate or whether they are definitely not the right person for your company.

Here are examples of phone screening interview questions you should ask:

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

This general question is a good opener because it provides the candidate with the freedom to answer how they like. Their answer may include some professional information and some personal information, which tells you about their skills, experience, and personality.

Why are you applying for this job?

This is a question you will find in almost every screening interview, no matter the industry. It’s a good way to determine what the goals of the candidate are and whether they align with the goals of the company. For example, if the candidate says they are looking for short-term employment before they go back to school and you are looking for a long-term employee, then they may not be the right fit.

Tell me about how you are the right fit for the role.

This question helps you determine whether the candidate has done their research about the role and the company. If they can’t answer with specifics, then they probably haven’t looked into it very much. However, if they can talk about the specific skills required and how they have those skills, they may be a good candidate for the role.

Do you have any certifications or special training?

While you’ll be able to see this information on their resume, it’s still worth asking the candidate this question because they can provide further details. For example, they may have training to operate a forklift or work with hazardous materials, and tell you about their experience doing those things.

Are you comfortable working long hours on your feet for the duration of the shift?

In many factory or warehouse roles, employees are moving around on their feet for up to twelve hours. In order to succeed in this role, the candidate needs to be physically fit and have good stamina. Asking this question gives the candidate the chance to discuss how they will be able to meet the physical requirements of this role.

How much experience do you have with heavy equipment?

This question is a critical one to ask if the role requires the employee to work with any type of factory or warehouse equipment. While they can train on the job, it’s always good to know if the candidate has prior experience that may give them a running start.

What type of safety training have you completed?

Safety is paramount in any factory or warehouse position. This question helps you determine what the candidate already knows and what gaps you have to fill during your training. Where possible, ask for examples of how they put their safety training to use in previous jobs.

What skills do you consider to be most important for this role?

This question helps you see what the candidate prioritizes about the role, and whether their priorities match with the priorities of the company. For example, if the candidate says the most important skill for this role is organization, but you think that it is really time management and leadership, it could be that there is a mismatch.

Do you have any questions for me?

This question puts the ball in the candidate’s court and shows you how interested they are. Many candidates ask about logistical questions such as start date, shifts, and pay, while others go a step further and ask about work culture, professional development, and team dynamics.

Leave the phone screening interview questions to us

Conducting phone screening interviews requires a certain kind of skill. In a face-to-face interview, you can rely on the candidate’s facial expressions and body language to help you better understand their answers. However, when on the phone, you don’t have that opportunity – and only have their voice to guide you. Our team at Noble Human Resources Solutions has conducted thousands of phone screening interviews and know exactly what to ask, how to ask it, and how to determine what answers to look for. We can conduct the screening of your employees so you can focus on business operations. Contact us by filling out this Employer Contact Form and we’ll get in touch with you to discuss next steps.