by Jeannie Harning, Managing Director
An interview can be described as a conversation with a purpose. It is a conversation because candidates should talk freely with their interviewers about themselves, their experiences and their careers. This conversation has to be planned, directed and controlled to make an accurate prediction of the candidate’s future performance in the job for which they are being considered.
Interviews do provide a valuable opportunity to exchange information, which will enable both parties to make a decision about whether to offer a job, or whether to accept a job offer. Interviews must serve as a realistic preview which spells out any special demands that will be made on the successful candidate about the standards they will be expected to achieve, the hours they may have to work or the travelling they may have to do.
Good interviewers are exceptionally well prepared and know what they are looking for and how to set about finding it. They have a method for recording their analyses of candidates against a set of selection criteria, which are spelt out in detail through the job analysis process.
In the past fifteen years of facilitating the workshop, Using Competencies to Recruit and Select, the importance of having a solid process, or ‘script’ to follow during the interview is crucial. The outline below is particularly useful to follow:
Phase 1 – Opening the Interview: Welcome the candidate and introduce yourself. Set the candidate at ease by establishing rapport. Tell the candidate how the interview will be structured.
Phase 2 – Checking Certain Facts: Check the candidate’s qualifications, experience and work history. Check any queries that you have about the application form or CV.
Phase 3 – Getting Information: Acquire information about the candidate to assess against the selection criteria of the job you are recruiting for.
Phase 4 – Provide Information to the Candidate: Give the candidate information about the job and the organization.
Phase 5 – Answering the Questions: Answer any questions that the candidate has about the job and the organization.
Phase 6 – Closing the Interview: Close the interview and agree on the next steps.
Phase 7 – Doing the Paperwork: Complete the ratings for each competency and update the candidate database.
In addition to following a process, it’s useful to practice the skills listed below:
Establishing Rapport: Establish and maintain a good relationship with the candidate during the interview process to put them at ease and make an already nerve-racking process a little easier.
Being a Good Listener: In order to ensure you have enough information to make a decision it is critical to listen to the candidate’s answers and ask relevant follow-up questions.
Maintaining Continuity: Ask clear unambiguous questions and make sure that the interview is planned so that it can be structured properly.
Keeping Control: Keep control over the content and the timing of the interview.
Taking Notes: Be sure to take comprehensive, readable notes so that any judgments are made on the basis of factual information, particularly for the purposes of citing examples of candidate experiences and attributes in relation to the job criteria.
The keys to a thorough selection interview are preparation and understanding what needs to be accomplished through the process. Gathering enough information, that is relevant to the job criteria, and being able to make an informed decision regarding a candidate’s suitability for the position will mitigate the risk of appointing the wrong person to the job.