The Best Interview Questions for Employers in New Zealand: A Practical Guide
Hiring the right person isn’t just about checking skills – it’s about understanding motivation, mindset and behaviour. In a tight talent market, well-structured interviews can make all the difference. At Konnect Koncepts, we work closely with Kiwi businesses every day, so we’ve pulled together the most effective interview questions for employers, along with guidance on what you can’t legally ask in New Zealand.
This guide blends proven best practice with insights from SEEK NZ to help you run interviews that are fair, compliant and genuinely useful.
Why Good Interview Questions Matter
A strong interview isn’t a chat – it’s a structured conversation designed to uncover whether a candidate’s experience, values and working style fit the role and your business. Employers who use thoughtful, targeted questions tend to:
Identify job fit earlier
Reduce unconscious bias
Improve the candidate experience
Make better hiring decisions
Let’s look at the types of questions that consistently lead to deeper and more accurate insights.
1. Behavioural Interview Questions
Behavioural questions focus on how someone acted in real situations. Past behaviour is often the best predictor of future performance, which is why these questions are widely trusted.
Examples:
“Tell me about a time you had competing priorities – how did you manage them?”
“Describe a situation where you dealt with a difficult customer or stakeholder.”
“Give an example of a project you’re proud of – what was your role and what was the outcome?”
What you learn:
Problem-solving style, resilience, communication, collaboration and initiative.
2. Situational Interview Questions
Situational questions place the candidate in a hypothetical scenario relevant to the job.
Examples:
“You’ve been given a deadline that’s not achievable without more resources. What would you do?”
“How would you handle a team member who consistently misses deadlines?”
“If you noticed a process inefficiency, how would you go about improving it?”
What you learn:
Judgement, leadership style, decision-making and how the candidate approaches real-world challenges.
3. Motivation Interview Questions
Understanding motivation helps you uncover what drives the candidate and whether your role will keep them engaged long-term.
Examples:
“What motivates you in your work?”
“What kind of environment do you do your best work in?”
“Why are you interested in this role and our company?”
What you learn:
Cultural fit, career alignment and long-term potential.
4. General Interview Questions
Sometimes the simplest questions open the most honest conversations. These work especially well at the beginning of an interview to build rapport.
Examples:
“Tell me about yourself and your career so far.”
“What attracted you to apply for this role?”
“Where do you see your career heading over the next few years?”
What you learn:
Communication style, career narrative and big-picture goals.
5. Reducing Interview Bias
Even the best interview questions are weakened if bias creeps into the process. SEEK highlights four common interview biases to watch for:
Affinity bias – favouring people similar to you
Confirmation bias – looking for evidence that supports your first impression
Halo effect – allowing one strong trait to overshadow others
Attribution bias – attributing success to talent and failures to personality
How to reduce bias:
Use a structured interview with consistent questions
Score candidates against a clear rubric
Involve more than one interviewer where possible
Take notes rather than relying on memory
Small adjustments like these help keep your hiring fair and focused.
6. Illegal Interview Questions in New Zealand
New Zealand employment law is crystal clear: employers must not ask questions that could be considered discriminatory under the Human Rights Act 1993.
You cannot ask about:
Age
Marital or family status
Pregnancy or plans for children
Race, ethnicity or nationality
Religious or ethical beliefs
Sexual orientation or gender identity
Political preferences
Disability or health conditions (except where directly relevant to the job’s safety requirements)
If a question won’t genuinely help you determine whether the candidate can perform the role, it’s safest to leave it out.
Better approach:
Focus on the role. For example, instead of asking about family responsibilities:
Ask: “This role requires availability between these hours – are you able to work within that schedule?”
Download our basic interview template
If you’re looking for a starting point, here’s a clean, practical structure to use for any interview
Building a great team starts with asking the right questions and running interviews that are fair, structured and compliant with New Zealand law. Employers who take the time to refine their approach not only attract stronger talent but also create a better experience for candidates.
If you’d like support developing tailored interview guides, running recruitment processes or staying up to date with HR best practice across Aotearoa, the team at Konnect Koncepts is here to help.
