Some Basics Regarding the Interviewing Process Itself

Any interview is something of an act.

The interviewee has to convince the interviewer that he or she is the best candidate for the job, while the interviewer, especially if he is the owner of the business, attempts to convince the applicant of how good his business is.

The real objective of an interview should be to see if the position is a fit for the both the individual and the company.

In our previous article we took steps to prepare for the interview. http://www.otherarticles.com/careers/interviews/35537-the-basic-steps-to-take-before-you-start-interviewing-candidates.html

Your objective as the interviewer is to ascertain as much relevant information about the candidate as possible in order to make a good decision.

The number one rule: LET THE CANDIDATE DO THE TALKING.

Most poor selections occur because the interviewer spends 80 % of the time talking, when the reverse is what is required.

The interview exists primarily for you to listen, not to sell.

Effective interviewing is a developed skill. The more you do it, the more you improve. Some basic requirements that I have found for effective interviewing include:

1) PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW.  Clearly determine what it is you are looking for. Study the job description and the person specification that you have developed and add attributes that you desire for that particular position like a high energy level, or an effective team player, or someone that can work on their own, or a person that sticks to regulations, or someone that is meticulous. Your objective is to reach an opinion as to whether the candidate has what you need.

2) Read the resume again before the interview and add questions to your list as part of your preparation for the interview. 

3) Set the climate by engaging in a limited degree of small talk.

3) Define the objective of the interview – “To get to know one another”

4) Use a “funnel technique” for interviewing. You start off asking a macro question and then progressively drill down to obtain more information, like “that’s interesting, can you tell me more about how you went about increasing sales?”

5) Don’t be afraid to continue with relevant probing questions like “You said you preferred working for Company A rather than for Company B. Give me some examples of the differences and let’s talk about them.”

6) An effective first interview of a candidate with potential should last for at least an hour, often more. Think of the consequences of employing the wrong person because you are “so busy”. The consequences probably include six months of training the wrong person, the time, money and frustration it cost you, plus the effect on your customers and your business. You cannot be too busy when you are investing in human capital.

7) If you have never engaged in an interview like this before, role play with someone. This will reduce your fear and improve your interview competency.

8) You may refer to your notes during the interview.

9) Afford the candidates the opportunity at the end of the interview to ask questions about your company.

10) When the interview is over agree by when the candidate will hear back from you and then after the interview spend 15 minutes reflecting on the questions asked, the answers received, and the implications thereof relevant to what you were looking for. Note down your comments.

Examples of a few Questions, if relevant, to your situation: (In addition to the direct technical job related questions you need to ask to check competency.)

a) “What did you like the most, and what did you like the least about your previous position?” Probe where necessary. Use sentences like “that’s interesting, what made you come to that conclusion?”

b) “What ideas did you come up with that you feel made a difference in the company?”

c) “How do you go about hiring subordinates, and have you ever had to fire anyone?” How did you do this?”

d) “What aspects of your company’s policy do you not entirely agree with and why? What else about the organization’s culture did you agree or disagree with and why? ”

e) “What do you think contributes to your effectiveness as a manager?”

f) “You have had many bosses. Who got the most out of you and why?”

g) “Have you ever experienced the following situations, and how have you handled them-procrastination by your boss, inability of someone to stay focused, someone ignoring the chain of command in a company?”

h) “What do you see as your greatest strength and what areas would you like to improve on?”

i) In terms of the future, what are you looking to achieve over the next three years?”

j) “What do you like doing, what do you not like doing?”

k) “What do you feel is the biggest accomplishment in your life?” Then probe this in detail.

l) “Do you have any role models in your life?” How did they affect your behavior?”

Once you have your short list of potential candidates , ask another relevant person or two in your organization to also do an interview and then close the deal.

Retaining good talent will be the subject of another article.

The first thing Bernard Kirk tells his clients is that the absolute critical factor in any business is people.

With seventeen years of operational management, twenty two years of strategy implementation for multiple entrepreneurs, professionals and high level businesses across the globe, Bernard is an expert in how people affect outcomes.

Having the right people doing the right things in the right job, is usually the difference between mediocrity and greatness for both the individual and the organization. Bernard’s methods of determining what needs to be done by what type of person and how to select and retain those persons has attracted interest on an international basis. Bernard has consulted in the retail, hospitality, manufacturing, medical, recycling professional and academic fields. He lives in Arizona, USA.