How to Conduct a Successful Interview – Steps For Employers
As a recruitment and labour hire agency, we help businesses through the initial vetting period. Our clients then make a final decision after one last interview with the shortlisted candidates. However much of the information on ‘how to’ get the most out of an interview is structured towards job seekers.
Typically, a job interview should be a time for a frank discussion between two interested parties, particularly in the later stages of the hiring process. Both the company and the candidate are looking to discover if they are a good fit with each other.
So as a company how can you make the most of your interviews? Using our experience as one of the best labour recruitment agencies, we have listed four of the most important steps. Following these points will enable every business to conduct the most successful interview.
Prepare before the interview.
The most successful interviews are based on detailed research prior to meeting the candidate. Understanding what you need as a business will help you determine what your ideal candidate will look like. This will also help you provide your recruitment agency with an accurate job description and conduct the interview with clarity. Also, prepare for each final candidate by going over their credentials and any referee recommendations. Jot down notes and use the job description to tailor your questions during the interview. Not only will this enable you to direct the interview with purpose, it will also let you get to know the candidate as an individual.
Don’t ignore the obvious questions
When you are preparing interview questions it can be tempting to try to avoid the cliché or standard questions. However, there is no reason to reinvent the wheel, many of those questions are standardised for a reason. Don’t be afraid to ask generic questions like ‘what are your strengths or weaknesses?’ They can provide some useful information you might not receive from more creative questions. Using the responses to these questions you can adapt the rest of your interview for each candidate, which leads to the next step.
Make it personal and form a connection
Ultimately you are looking for someone for your team, so it is important to see if they will be a good fit. Do not try to make things too formal, while it is fine to keep it professional, a bit of warmth will help reveal the candidate’s true personality. This will give you the best opportunity to get an authentic perspective on your potential employee’s fit within the business.
Provide Direction
When concluding your interview, don’t leave your candidate without any direction. Your closing remarks can help build their expectations about your next steps. Let them know when you will be making a decision and informing candidates. Also, take the time to inform each candidate regardless of their result. This will give them closure and enable everyone to smoothly move on.
If you need assistance finding your next team member or have trouble with the interview process, contact us at First Personnel. We can help you find the right fit with our industry experience and connections.