Interviews
Conducting an effective interview is not a simple process. To ensure the interview process runs as smoothly as possible it is important to consider a number of factors.
An interview is a fantastic opportunity for a company to sell itself to a prospective employee alongside assessing a candidate’s suitability for the position.
Some elements which need to be considered are listed below:
Location
The location of an interview is crucial. The location needs to be clean, quiet and confidential. It’s always worth checking the interview room before the interview to make sure a previous occupant hasn’t left their half-finished cup of coffee behind…
Interviewers
It is always advisable to have 2 interviewers present in an interview. Both interviewers need to understand the job description they are recruiting for and also need to have read the candidates CV thoroughly before the interview. It is also worth the interviewers to have spoken before the interview and planned who will cover what areas of the interview. This will create a more structured interview.
Time-scales
It is important to start and finish interviews on time. Starting an interview late does not give a candidate a good impression of a company.
Preparation
As previously mentioned it is vital to read a candidates CV before an interview. It is also highly advisable to have a copy of their CV along with a copy of the job description to hand in the interview.
Asking standard interview questions to each candidate allows the interviewers to compare the candidates more easily.
Structure
It’s important to think about the structure of the interview. Starting with an informal chat to break the ice is always a good idea. It’s also important to remember to introduce the interviewers and explain the interview process (including time-scales) at the beginning of an interview.
A good way of starting an interview is to give a brief company history, outline the role which is being recruited for and explain the reason for needing to recruit.
Questions
The interview process should ultimately provide the interviewers with enough information to decide whether the candidate is capable of doing the job and is a good fit with the company.
Using open ended questions will give interviewers the best chance of getting full answers from candidates and will also inevitably lead onto further questions.
Many companies now use competency based questions within the interview process. By asking the same questions to all candidates it is easier to compare candidates after the interview process.
It’s important to remember to take sufficient notes during the interview process to enable you to accurately remember each candidate.
Always leave time for candidates to ask their own questions at the end of the interview.