We are sure that you will have read countless articles describing how to best prepare for a job interview, as a potential employee, by now. Therefore, this article focusses on the one conducting the interview. In other words, what is the best way to conduct a job interview in order to attract the right employees for your organization?
1. Preparation is key
Good preparation is key to a structured interview. You already know what you are looking for in an employee and have prepared questions you want to ask. Your preparations help you ask for more detailed information about the candidate’s skillset and respond to what they say without having to worry about getting distracted and losing your train of thought. Improve your preparation through;
Job description
You should take care to write a detailed description of the job in the vacancy. This will help filter out candidates who are not suited to the job and subsequently reduce the number of interviews. For some jobs such as marketing managers or general managers, job descriptions can vary hugely. These types of jobs make it even more important to have a clear and concise job description and list of expectations you have for a new employee.
Ask candidates the same questions
Asking candidates the same questions will help you to easily compare them after the interviews and can boost your confidence that you will make the right choice. As aforementioned, you should always ask candidates detailed questions in response to things they tell you to gain more insight into who they are. In order to compare the candidates, prepare about 10 questions that you can consistently ask each.
2. Interviewing
After you have completed the preparations, it is time to conduct the interview. Be sure to schedule enough time for each interview to prevent being pressed for time. We recommend using the following order:
General introduction
Your introduction will set the tone for the conversation that follows so be very aware of how you introduce yourself. It is key to represent your company culture, so if you work in a formal organization, you should not act too casual, etc. Always treat candidates with respect and try to reassure them if they appear nervous. Offer your candidate something to drink and remember to tidy up your interview room because a messy room could leave a bad impression. Start the conversation by introducing yourself and your organization and brief them about the position. This is where you can add more detail to the listed job description.
Asking questions
Once you have told the candidate something about yourself, your organization and the listing, it is time to turn to the candidate. You could begin by asking general questions to get to know the candidate better. These types of questions tend to increase the candidate’s confidence and often result in a more open conversation. When you start asking about the candidate’s interests or background, you will notice the moment that they become calmer. As soon as you notice this happening move the conversation to their interest in the position and their potential contribution to your company.
The next step is to ask the candidate about their resume. Prepare specific questions about previous responsibilities, pressures they encountered and other former job details. At this point is it also good to find out why the candidate left/ is leaving their last job. Do not forget to give an applicant enough room to ask you any questions about the position or the company. This will immediately inform you whether or not a candidate has put enough time into their own preparation and if they are genuinely interested. Be consistent in your questions for all candidates so you can easily compare and contrast them at a later stage.
We hope that you may find these steps useful to you and aid in perfecting your interview strategy so as to hire the right people for your current job opening. If you need more information about job interviews or more general HR information, feel free to contact us using the live chat in the bottom right of the page.
More information
Do you need more information on how recruitment can enhance your organization? Feel free to get in contact with us by using our live chat in the bottom right of your screen or by clicking here.
