Effective interviewing

Interviewing is a notoriously subjective process, and one that even professional interviewers have to work hard at. Given the importance of getting the right person for a position, it is vital that it is done as professionally and thoroughly as possible.

Taking on the wrong person is expensive in terms of both time and money. A wrong decision at senior level can be even more critical.

It is important to remember that an interview is a two way process; as well as you deciding whether the candidate is suitable for you, they are deciding whether you are suitable for them.

There is no point you spending time and money finding a suitable applicant only for them to turn you down. So your interview needs to:

• Be detailed enough for you to evaluate them
• Provide them with enough relevant information for them to evaluate you

A well constructed interview, or series of interviews, will often do both. Interview structure There is no one “correct” interview structure, but a typical one would be as follows:

• Personal details
• Work history
• The role itself
• Why the candidate thinks they are suitable for the position
• Personal details

It’s important to check the personal details at this stage of the recruitment process. i.e. Do qualifications and the candidates age match up; qualifications need to be verified; is the candidate studying or have they qualified? Can they produce certificates to back up their qualifications? Is the address permanent or temporary? Is their driving license clean?

Your aim is to ensure that nothing unexpected emerges later on in the recruitment process.

Work history

Checking the reasons why a candidate left their last job or two is essential but there can be value in researching motives for departure for up to the last 10 years. It can provide a strong picture as to what motivates the individual. What did they like and dislike about all the roles? Ensure you have explanations for any gaps in employment history.

What you are trying to achieve is to pick up on patterns in their work history, as it will give you a clearer understanding about their motivators.

The role itself

How much do they know about the role? If you have given the agency or the candidate a detailed specification beforehand it is not unreasonable for them to know a little about the position and your organisation. Good candidates will have looked at your organisation’s website beforehand.

Explain the role clearly. What are the main elements of the job? Who will they report to? What hours or travel are expected? Why has the position arisen? How will the role develop? How does the role fit into the company as a whole? What is the company aiming for? What is its ethos?

Your aim here is to make sure they understand the role, the organisation and what it would be like to work with your organisation.

Why the candidate thinks they are suitable for the position

By this stage of the interview the candidate should have a clear idea about the role. Why are they suitable for it? What previous experience do they have that is relevant to the position? What have they achieved in the past that would show their suitability for this position? What is their understanding of the role?

You are aiming to gauge their overall ‘fit’ here, and to assess how much they want the position. Wanting the job enough is as strong an indication as most, that the person might be suitable, providing they have the qualifications and experience to deliver.

At the end of the interview, make it clear to them what the next step would be should they have been successful at this stage, and what timescales are involved. This is to keep them interested if they have other positions they are looking at and you want them back for another interview, or to put yourself in a position when you can reject them when it suits you should you wish to look at other candidates first.

And finally, thank them for attending – whether or not you take them forward it’s important to maintain a professional perception of the brand you’re selling. You never know how influential in the industry a rejected candidate may become in the future.