How to conduct a successful interview

Whilst there is plenty of information available for those who are preparing for job interviews, employers rarely come across any material to help guide themselves throughthe process.  This is quite surprising considering that holding an interview can be just as daunting for the existing member of staff as it can be for the candidate.

When you have the responsibility of hiring the perfect person for the job, there is much more involved with conducting a successful interview than simply asking a few questions. Here are a few top tips to help you get the most out of the process so you can feel confident that you are employing the right candidates for you and your company.

Prepare –

Make sure you are well aware of all the aspects of the company, what you do and what the plans for the future are. Also ensure that you know everything that is detailed in the job spec because the candidate is likely to ask questions about this. Have a good read of the applicant’s CV before meeting them so you know a bit about them. Just as you would be very unimpressed if a candidate turned up to an interview unprepared, they are likely to think the same if it’s the other way around.

Ask the right questions –

When asking questions, make sure you are doing this in a way that is going to get you the information you need to get a better understanding of how the candidate will handle certain situations and perform in the future. Competency based questions are ideal because they require fuller, more detailed answers that necessitate specific examples. Any question that requires a yes or no answer is not going to help you determine whether that candidate is suitable or how they would fit in with the team.

Listen –

Get the right balance between talking and listening. A common mistake amongst interviewers is that they need to do all the talking but in reality, a maximum of 30% of the talking should come from you. The whole point of the interview is to find out about the candidate but you are not going to get an accurate assessment if they barely had a chance to say anything.

Be honest –

There is no point trying to conceal the less ideal aspects of the job. If there are certain traits you fear might put candidates off, just be honest with them from the start. After all, if you hire them they will find this out anyway which could lead to resentment, poor employee relationships and they may even leave.

Do you have any interview tips that you use to ensure you employ the right candidates? Let us know your thoughts below.