Keep interview process on track with relevant questioning
Securing the right talent is one of the most important responsibilities of a hiring manager. Although most companies concede the importance of talent selection and retention, only a handful are prepared to lead an effective interview process that will actually facilitate the identification and recruitment of ideal candidates.
Managers make the common mistake of relying too much on ‘instinct’ and ‘gut feel’ when making decisions, and consequently hiring decisions are often ad-hoc, and there is increased vulnerability of making poor choices. An effective interview process helps avoid common pitfalls, improves personal insight and discernment, and dramatically increases the probability of recruiting people who are a right fit for the job and for the organisation. Here are a few tips to conducting an effective interview.
Prepare
Be ready with a worksheet of relevant, pre-meditated questions to be posed to the candidate. As Dwight Eisenhower famously said, “The plan is nothing; the planning is everything.” Preparation is key to success, and you will be able to manage the interview smoothly if you decide in advance what you are trying to achieve through the interview and tailor your questions around your objectives.
Create a comfortable setting
Whether you are conducting a structured interview process or a more informal, conversational interview, it is important to create a comfortable setting for the interview and put the candidate at ease. Smile and greet the candidates with warmth and interest. Take some time to establish rapport with the candidate and remember you can draw out the best information from the candidate only when he or she is relaxed.
Introduce panel members if any, and if you are following a structured interview pattern, explain the purpose and format of the interview. Maintain a positive, interested and enthusiastic attitude throughout the interview. If the candidate falters or looks unsure when giving answers, egg on with a supportive smile or a nod of the head, or offer words like “yes” and “go on” that give confidence to the candidate to carry on.
Stick to questions that serve a specific objective. This can include questions about professional skills, career goals or work experience. Avoid questions that are irrelevant to job performance such as questions on age, religion, family or marital status. Use open-ended questions such as how, why, tell me, what, (and to an extent where, when, which) to get the interviewee talking. In general, ‘how’ and ‘what’ questions are quite useful for ferreting information and steering the conversation in the required direction while ‘why’ questions tend to put candidates on the defensive, because they imply that some kind of justification or defence is required.
Listen actively
Allow the candidate to do most of the talking. One has to listen for the central ideas and not just the facts being presented. Paraphrase the interviewee’s answers to show that you understand what is being said. Make notes of the main points. It helps organise your thoughts and serves as a good reference point for the future. Time can be a constraint, especially if you have a large number of candidates to interview. Start and finish on time and keep the interview process on track with relevant questioning. Prior planning and a written note on the basic questioning pattern will ensure that you don’t go off tangent and are able to cover all related topics within the allotted time.
Wrap up the interview by answering questions and clarifying any doubts that the candidate may have. Update the candidate on the next steps of the interview process and let him know when he can expect to be contacted regarding the results. Bring it to a close by thanking the applicant for his/her time.
A well thought out and effectively managed interview procedure will not only bolster your ability to evaluate candidates and make better decisions, but it will also ensure that valuable organisational time and resources are not squandered in the process.
