4 Tips to More Successful Job Interviews

Four Tips to Holding Successful Interviews

Hiring people to be a part of your team is an integral part of any business yet can be tricky. Recruiting the right person is crucial and many times hiring decisions need to be made quickly (often in a few hours.

The wrong choice can prove to be bad for your business. It can have long lasting bad effects on your business; financially, time spent training, and in wages paid to the ex-employee. Your company will also suffer loss of time, by company leaders, trainers, and mentors. Hiring the wrong person also impacts company morale.

Making better hiring decisions requires you to be prepared and purposeful during the interviewing process. The more successful you are at interviewing, the easier it is to build a great team. A good interview isn’t just about what you ask, it is also about how you go about the hiring process. By using the following four techniques, the more you will be able to hire the right people to work for your company.

Be Prepared

• Look at someone’s resume before you speak to them. It is a bad idea to not be familiar with the interviewee prior to the interview. Changing jobs is a big deal for most people, some only go through this process a handful of times. Reviewing their resume and being familiar shows respect for them and their time.
• Build a structure for how you want the interview to go ahead of time. Have a few specific questions in mind. Another good idea is to make sure to ask each person you interview the same questions. This will help you be better able to compare various applicants.
• Make a list of what you want to know about those interviewed by the end of each conversation. Most of these types of questions should refer to skills, training, and relevant work experience. To take this a step further, you can have candidates perform certain exercises to test their skills as part of the interview. Make sure the instructions for the exercise are easy to understand and clear for everyone.

Put the Applicant at Ease

Most people interviewing for a new position are nervous. Interviews can be intimidating. By the time they are interviewing with you, they are already looking to a possible future with your company or team. Remember, the person isn’t going to be in a high-pressure situation (like the interview process), every time they show up to work. So, try to put them at ease in the beginning. A relaxed applicant is much easier to interview than a nervous one.

While the position they are interviewing for may have some intense situations, don’t use the interview as a process to gauge the candidate’s ability to perform under pressure. This is your time to assess whether they will be able to do the job on a day by day basis.

Start by exchanging pleasantries. Remember you are trying to win them over as much as they are trying to impress you. Let them know it’s okay to be a bit nervous, the interview process is hard on both of you. Tell them what you expect to get out of interview and give them an overall idea about the job, before you begin the interview.

Encourage Them to Tell Stories About Themselves

You can learn a lot about someone by the examples they give. Tell the vanadate you want them to tell you as many stories with examples as is possible within your time limit. Don’t be afraid to ask for more details. Look for patterns of consistency. Everyone will tell you they can do the job you are asking them to do, but your job as an interviewer is to make sure they have done it before.

It’s always helpful to ask open ended questions, no just questions with yes or no answers. Successful interviewing is not just about what you ask, it’s also about how you ask it. Go into interviews assuming the applicant has the skills for the position and focus on evaluating the depth of their knowledge.

For example, instead of asking, “Do you have experience with XYZ?”, it is better to ask, “How have you been able to apply XYZ and what was the outcome?”

Another great question when evaluating a candidate’s skill level is, “What is the most complex challenge you have had to tackle with this particular skill?” This will help give you a real-life example of the applicant putting their skills to the test. It also gives you insight into what they think is their most advanced level. If a candidate has difficulty with this, then the position you are hiring for may be above their skill level.

Remember the Golden Rule

Finally, even if they aren’t right for the position, remember to treat all candidates with respect. They may someday be a potential customer or be right for a different future employment opportunity within your company. They may also put in a good word about your company if they feel they have been treated fairly and respectfully.