Interviews
are an integral part of the traditional recruitment
process. The one-to-one contact can provide an in-depth
impression of how that candidate
will perform in your given position. Getting the most
out of interviewing is a combination of preparation,
suitable questioning and listening.
There are a whole host of different techniques depending
on how you aim to approach the interview and the purpose
of it.
There
are a number of different approaches to interviews, two main
examples of which are:
Behavioral
event interviewing: This delves into the past and examines how
the applicant handled a previous task or duty. This method works
on the premise that the way an applicant worked in the past
will dictate performance in the future. This is a relatively
simple and effective approach and is the most commonly used
interview method.
Criteria
or competency based interviewing: The main advantage of
this is the way in which it indicates levels of candidate performance
in different areas. This is achieved by constantly testing the
applicant's knowledge through a series of rigid and structured
questioning against key competencies identified as essential
to the role and the organisation as a whole. This is an extremely
formal but effective way to interview on performance alone.
The downfall of this is that the interviewer needs to be highly
skilled in their questioning and there may be a risk that if
he or she doesn't probe enough, the whole interview could prove
ineffective. This style of interviewing is usually driven as
a company wide initiative in line with overall commercial strategy.
The
variety in interview techniques and structures used reflects
the variety of factors influencing employers when approaching
interviews. Personal preferences, different objectives and the
past experience of the company combine to influence the techniques
employed. Planning carefully and employing rigorous questioning
and listening techniques will support all of these methods.
Whatever the approach however there are some key activities
to undertake:
Here's
a simple checklist:
Our
requirements:
Think about the job specification. What specific skills are
you looking for, what experience is essential and what is
desirable? What are the main duties of your position and what
is the scope for career progression within that role? What
characteristics are you looking for? Outlining specific requirements
will help to define your questions, and uncover relevant information.
Analyse
the cv and/or application form in advance:
Important but easily overlooked when time is at a premium.
From the applicant's written details, you can highlight strengths
and weaknesses. The cv may also emphasise any gaps or issues
that need to be addressed. From this, you can decide on additional
areas to probe. You may also want to discover more about the
companies that the applicant has worked for, and their role
within them. For instance, if the position he held was that
of supervisor, how many staff where supervised and how did
he feel about that? How did he cope? How does he feel about
supervising even more staff? Or less? Use the cv to ask relevant
questions for your position.
Ensure
you have a detailed brief of the job specification:
Be prepared for questions regarding this as well as the company
itself. If you are assertive in your response, it will give
the applicant greater confidence and trust in you, and present
you in a professional light. After all, if this is the perfect
applicant for your position, wouldn't you like them to have
the best impression of you and the company?
The
interview room:
To get the most out of the applicant, it's important to put
him at ease. Choose a room where you won't be disturbed. If
it is to be held in your office, divert your calls and ensure
no one interrupts. Imagine how distracting it will be for
you and your applicant if the telephone is constantly ringing
or if there's a knock at the door. An informal setting will
also put candidates at ease. Two chairs at a low table are
far less threatening than the barrier of a desk.
Have
an agenda prepared for the interview. This will help you keep
to your time limit and keep you focused on the questions you
need to ask. Have a plan of which questions you need to ask
and when - formulate a clear structure to which you can stick.
Before
commencing the interview, remember you will get the most out
of the applicant when they are feeling at ease. You only have
a limited amount of time to achieve this. Introduce yourself,
run through the agenda and tell them how long you plan to take.
Informing the applicant of what to expect should help to put
them at ease. Ask permission to take notes, it is courteous
and won't alarm the applicant if you suddenly start scribbling
an answer down.
Open
Who, what, where, when, how and why. Questions that explore
and gather a wide range of information.
Probing
Specific questions relating to details. Check information
gained through open questions.
Closed
Look for the answer to single facts, again used for probing.
Hypothetical
Asks 'how would you feel if...' - leads the applicant to think
on a wider scale. Gives a feel for how the applicant would
react, although don't take their answer literally, they may
react differently in the event.
You
are effectively using a funnel approach. Starting at
the widest point of the funnel, using open and hypothetical
questions you gain a broad scope of information. You will then
push this information down the funnel for more specific responses
using probing, and, finally, closed questions.
Leave
a lasting impression
The
applicant is not the only one being tested during the interview.
It is critical that you make the best impression possible. Applicants
form lasting opinions of your company from the interview. Shabby
surroundings, a disorganised interviewer, or constant disruptions
all reflect badly on the company. As soon as you meet the applicant
you are portraying your organisation's image. It is essential
to be organised, well-presented and on time! Reflect the efficiency
you are looking for in your applicants. Remember, if you leave
them with a bad impression, not only will they not be interested
in working for the company themselves but they will also tell
their friends and peers about their experience.
Closing
the interview leaves them with their final impression of you.
Invite the applicant to ask questions. He may need clarification
on issues or you may not have covered an area of interest for
him. Explain what is to follow next - outline a timescale detailing
when you expect to make a decision and when the applicant will
be notified. Discuss the interview process. Will there be a
second or third interview, will there be a panel interview,
can they expect any tests?
And
finally?
As
soon as you finish the interview, make a quick summary of what
you thought, felt and any key points. Outline how you left things
with the applicant. It's amazing how much you can forget if
you don't do this, especially if you're interviewing more than
one person in a day. This will help you when you make your comparisons
for second interviews or for that all important job offer.
So
- next time you're interviewing a selection of applicants or
even just the one, there is no excuse to rush in sweating with
absolutely no preparation! Think about the way you want to interview,
analyse the cv and job spec, decide what you want to ask and
how you want to ask it. Consider the impression you make and
take notes. With preparation, you'll become a more successful
and efficient interviewer.
