How to Conduct Great Interviews

When it comes to interviewing candidates for a position; it’s important to remember that you to too are essentially being interviewed. Whilst you are evaluating to see if the candidate is the best fit for the position, you and the organisation are being evaluated by the candidate. Therefore it is imperative that you too make a positive impression.

Preparation

Making a positive impression, starts way before the interview takes place. Providing the candidate with all the information they require prior to the interview is a must. Providing directions, who they will be meeting with and if they are required to bring anything with them are all things you need to provide to the candidate.

Deciding where in the office the interview will take place prior to the candidate turning up is also important. There is nothing worse than someone turning up for an interview, and the employer has no idea of where to seat them or have no prepared a simple set up somewhere for them to talk.

Even if you feel you are confident with knowing everything there is to know about the candidate, take one last look at their CV before conducting the interview, or take a copy into the meeting with you. This will help you keep on track during the interview and ensure you are asking the right things to ensure you get a fair judgement on whether or not the candidate will be best suited for the role.

Also, decide in advance how you can best convey the job role as well as the company culture. This is your chance to communicate why your company is a rewarding place to work and how this position is the right decision for someone’s next career move.

Interviews can be nerve wracking, so do whatever you can to help put the candidate at ease will shine through to the candidate when they arrive.

Time keeping

Running late for the interview, or keeping the candidate waiting for a long period of time, when they have turned up early and on time, sets a bad example to the candidate and can give the impression that the candidates time isn’t important to you.

No distractions

During this time, you must focus solely on the candidate. Do not be tempted to be distracted by your phone or computer throughout the interview. It always good to take notes to remind of things the candidate has said, or your opinions relating to a certain answer they have given. This will remind you of this when you are looking back at all of the interviewees and trying to decide on who to hire.

Body Language

As the interviewer, your body language sets the tone for the meeting and conveys your interest in the conversation to the candidate. Slouching, crossing your arms and not giving direct eye contact sends off negative signals. Ensure you stay professional and respectful throughout the interview despite the success of how its going.

Ending on a positive

Regardless of how the interview went, treat all of the candidates with the same amount of respect and professionalism. Ensure you end the interview on a positive note. Allow them time to ask any questions, and then thank them for their time and for coming in to meet with you. Also provide them with the next step, how long and who they will be hearing back from in regards to whether or not they have been successful. Following up on this and providing them with feedback no matter what the outcome, is important and also shows professionalism on the company’s behalf as well as your own.

The main achievement here is to come away feeling confident that you know everything there is to know about the individual and how they will make a perfect fit and for the candidate to leave the interview having gained a positive and enthusiastic impression of your organisation and what to expect from the company and the role, should they be offered the job.