Plan the interview
Thoroughly review job requirements. Know exactly what the job requires for perfect performance. This will allow you to make decisions based on factual evidence and not personal preferences.
Create the interview plan
Formulate job-related questions which help the interviewee give specific behavioural examples. These will give you an accurate indication of how the candidate will behave in the job based on their past behaviours.
Arrange for a relaxed and professional interview environment
Ensure there are no interruptions. This is vital for both you and the candidate to engage in a thorough two way conversation. Hold all calls and conduct the interview where you cannot see the office’s day to day operations.
Build initial rapport with the interviewee
Warm and friendly welcome. One of the greatest factors in influencing someone is the welcome you give them in the crucial first five minutes of a meeting. Make the candidate feel important by welcoming them personally and offering any help while they are waiting.
Communicate well during the interview
Listen to the way the questions are answered as much as the answers themselves. The best interviewers will only talk for about 20%-30% of the interview and invest the rest of the time listening actively for how the interviewee answers the questions. They will gain facts most interviewers miss by talking too much.
Control the interview
Practise techniques which allow you to open up uncommunicative candidates and direct talkative ones. The use of open questions for the former and careful direction of the second are skills worth developing.
Design the interview to test the candidate in a number of different ways
Test their on-the-job skills. The more realistic the tests to the actual job, the more valuable the information you will receive on the candidates ability to perform to the required standard. If you have to interview many candidates you may want to make this a test they can perform in their own time prior to the interview, but ensure you give them sufficient notice.
Evaluate the interview
Complete an interview assessment form immediately. You will be making notes throughout the interview, but it is essential to make your detailed assessment and evaluation immediately on completion. This will help you make your final decision especially if you have interviewed many people for the position.
Counter your prejudices and preconceptions
Take a second look at your first impressions. Train yourself to not prejudge a candidate initially as you may subconsciously spend the rest of the interview looking for reasons to back your initial assessment.
Guidelines for effective interviews
- create the right environment
- establish rapport early
- allow adequate time
- start off on a positive note
- use open ended questions
- ask specific job related questions
- let the other person do most of the talking – at least 60-70%
- question tactfully
- account for all time
- look for contrary evidence
- judge only by history
- downplay the negative information
- give the candidate credit where credit is due
- control the interview
- evaluate the information
- make each interview important
