Do you conduct interviews for your company? You may enjoy interviewing people, but are you doing it right? Learning the proper way to conduct interviews helps you choose the right candidate for your company. Here are some tips.
- Review their cover letter and resume before the interview. This is a good way to remember which candidate has what experience since you have a lot of options.
- Have 3-5 questions prepared before you start. Never start by asking the person if they have any questions for you. This shows that you are not prepared. Ask targeted questions that will help you understand if they are a good fit for your company or not. You can start off by asking them to tell you a little bit about themselves. Followed by why they think they are a good fit for the company and what experience they have that shows they are a good fit.
- Make expectations clear about this position throughout the hiring process. Explain the goal and purpose for the role you are hiring for. If they are a good fit they should be excited about this.
- Highlight specific experiences in cv that you want to ask about. It’s a good sign if they give you clear details about their experience and show their achievements. If they stumble over talking about their past jobs, this is a major red flag.
- Understand the difference between someone who is nervous and someone who has the wrong experience or qualifications. A nervous candidate may be a great fit in your company. If they struggle to talk about their experience that is a red flag.
- Ask them if they have any questions for you towards the end of the interview. An eager interviewee will ask thoughtful questions. It shows they have an interest in the role and your company.
- Have multiple people from your company interview them. It’s good to see what two different people will think of the same candidate. If you and your colleague both get a good feel it will help root out who is and isn’t a good fit.
- Outline how a typical work day will be. This helps the interviewee to understand the role and requirements better.
- If they seem like a good fit, let them know what the next steps will be. A courtesy email or talk at the end of your interview will do.
Remember to keep the questions for the interview based on the job at hand. It’s best to avoid asking too personal questions. You may get a feel for someone within the first minutes of the interview. If you don’t think they are a good fit you can end the interview early and be upfront that you don’t think they are a good fit. It’s best not to waste others’ time. If you think they aren’t a good fit it may be hard to continue acting engaged. Interviewing takes time so remember to be patient. The right candidate will be worth the wait.