What are the best methods to evaluate a candidate's ability to work with minimal supervision?

1 Ask behavioral questions

Behavioral questions are questions that ask candidates to describe how they handled specific situations or tasks in the past. They can reveal a lot about a candidate's work style, problem-solving skills, and initiative. For example, you can ask questions like: How do you prioritize your tasks when you have multiple deadlines? How do you communicate with your manager and team when working remotely? How do you cope with ambiguity or uncertainty in your projects? Look for answers that show evidence of self-motivation, accountability, and resourcefulness.

3 Use a personality assessment

A personality assessment is a tool that measures a candidate's traits, preferences, and motivations. It can help you understand how a candidate fits with your organizational culture, values, and goals. For example, you can use a personality assessment to evaluate a candidate's level of autonomy, self-reliance, and proactivity. Look for traits that indicate a high degree of independence, such as being self-directed, confident, and adaptable.

4 Conduct a reference check

A reference check is a process of contacting a candidate's previous employers, colleagues, or clients to verify their work history, performance, and reputation. It can help you validate a candidate's claims and achievements, as well as gain insights into their work habits and behaviors. For example, you can ask a reference to rate a candidate's ability to work with minimal supervision, to provide examples of how they demonstrated this skill, and to share any challenges or areas of improvement they observed.

5 Observe their communication style

Communication style is the way a candidate expresses themselves verbally and non-verbally. It can reveal a lot about a candidate's personality, attitude, and professionalism. For example, you can observe how a candidate communicates with you throughout the hiring process, such as how they respond to your emails, how they prepare for the interviews, and how they follow up after the interviews. Look for signs of effective communication, such as being clear, concise, and courteous, as well as proactive, responsive, and respectful.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?