Interviewing is one of the most effective ways to identify and attract employees who will be successful enough to stay. But few managers are adept at the skill. Discover the strategic interviewing techniques that will spell success for your organization How can you refine the job interview process in order to choose the ideal candidate?
Making Better Hires
Interviewing
Too often in today's marketplace we find employers with an unclear ideal of who and what they want in a candidate. While HR departments may put together legally safe, inclusive, politically correct job descriptions they may not match what the hiring manager needs. Your entire hiring team needs to be on the same page so that we are all looking for the same thing. It does no good finding candidates that match the "must haves" and interview well if they cannot do the necessary job.The interview is simply a conversation with a purpose. Some people on both sides of the table seem to freeze up when it starts. To prevent this make a list of topics that you want to know about on each candidate by the end of that conversation. Keep in mind that every candidate is unique. The topics should be a basic guideline but the conversations should have a natural flow and flexibility to improvise when the need arises. It is more important that you learn the essence of each candidate than to get through every topic on your list.
Greeting
From the beginning, act friendly but minimize small talk – interviewing time costs money and it can be easy to get distracted from the main purpose.a. Introduce yourself by using your name and title.
b. Mention casually that you will take notes.
c. Assure candidate that all information will be treated confidentially.
Questions
a. Ask clear questions in a conversational tone.b. Ask open-ended questions which will force complete answers. "Why do you say that?"
c. Don’t ask direct questions that can be answered "yes" or "no." With some candidates, you may need to ask follow-up questions for complete answers.
The Interview
It is always better to prepare for the interview before your appointment. Develop a list of questions that you will ask each candidate. If you ask the same questions of each individual, you will be able to make a better comparison. As you interview a candidate, keep in mind that your objective is to determine what the candidate is really saying about him/herself, and to determine if he/she is the right person for the job. When the candidate answers your questions, ask for an example of past behavior that illustrates his/her answer. Remember you should never ask questions about race religion, age, ethnicity, background, sexual preferences, and martial status or health issues.Analyzing
a. Attempt to determine the candidate’s goals.b. Try to draw the candidate out and allow him/her to talk.
c. Don’t sell – interview. The candidate should do the majority of the talking.
e. Remember some candidates simply are poor interviewers, try and gain an understanding for the "complete" person.
f. Call your Recruiter as soon as you are finished - immediate feedback helps keep the search on track and can be instrumental in knowing if the candidate left the interview with the same reaction as the hiring manager.
The other tabs on this section contain questions that may help you prepare for the interview process.
Hiring Resources - Interview Tips
The following are questions that may help you in the interview process.If you want to know:
- Can this candidate compete with others on a friendly basis?
- Do they seem have a healthy balance of both wok and personal interest?
- What is the candidates primary goals and prior it es?
- Does this person demonstrate loyalty?
- Does he/she take pride in doing a good job?
- Do they play well with others - are they a team player?
Ask the Candidate:
- Have you ever lost out on a major sale? How did that make you feel?
- Does the 40 hour work week allow you enough personal time?
- Do you feel you’ve made a success of life to date? How?
- Who was your best boss? Describe the person.
- What task did you most like and least like in your last job?
- What has your experience been in working in business team settings?
MOTIVATION
If you want to know:
- Are they settled in career path and progressing forward?
- Are they actively managing their career path?
- What is the main motivator for working?
- Is the candidate willing to overcome real challenges for what he/she wants?
- Where do you see your career taking you in the next 5 to 10 years?
- What have you done on your own to help be in selected for this job?
- How will this job help you to get what you want?
- What obstacles are most likely to trip you up and how will you beat them?
Ask the Candidate:
INITIATIVE
If you want to know:
- Does the candidate have focus and drive?
- Can the candidate take full ownership of a task?
- Do they have the dedication to go the extra mile when needed?
- Does this job job fit his/her long term goals?
- Is this person more productive in a team setting or solo?
Ask the Candidate:
- What things do you look forward to the most in your job? What things distract you?
- How much do you follow-up on task that are not part of your immediate job?
- Tell me about a particularly difficult job for you and how you handled it.
- What do you like and dislike about you kind of work?
- Do you prefer direct management or more autonomy where your work is more self-directed?
PLANNING
If you want to know:
- Can they plan and follow through? Or will he/she depend on a supervisor for planning?
- Could he/she coordinate the work of others?
- Does their work style match up well to the company's preferences?
- Can they assess situations well and think outside the box?
- Will he/she complete the whole job or get caught up in the details?
Ask the Candidate:
- How do you plan a day’s work?
- How do you set priorities for others?
- Give me an idea of how you spend a typical day.
- What work improvements have you instigated in other jobs?
- If you were the managers how would you run your present job? What are the differences between planned and unplanned work?
SOCIAL SKILLS
If you want to know:
- Is the candidate a leader?
- Can they organize then coordinate a group toward a common goal?
- How will they mesh with the other members of our organization?
- Does this person have rude or abrasive habits that will make long term interaction difficult?
- Can he/she make friends easily?
Ask the Candidate:
- What do you like to do in your spare time?
- Have you ever organized a group? Tell me about it.
- What kind of people do you get along with best?
- Give me an example of a co-worker or client that rubbed you the wrong way. How did you deal with that person?
- Do you prefer making new friends or keeping old ones? Why?
The Most talented people are often terrible at being job seekers
they don't do it enough to have the expertise.
