Interviewing is a costly process, yet recruiting the right hires is crucial to any business. Make sure you get the most out of your interviewing process with these key parts to the ideal interview.
The Anatomy of an Ideal Interview
Make sure your interview has the following key features.
- The Interview Is Industry-Appropriate
The first step to planning for interviewing candidates is to identify the needs of hiring in your industry. If you are hiring technical professionals, your requisites will likely differ from a recruiter interviewing for a sales-job. In the same way, the necessary communication style of each of these professionals is likely to differ. Don’t judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree.
- The Interview Leaves You with a Certain Outcome
Neil Roseman advises that you should always come out of each interview with a clear answer to this question: could this person improve the probability of our company’s success? This, fundamentally, is the only necessary outcome of your interview. Your hiring team and interviewer must be focused on that very outcome.
You’ll waste precious resources if you find your team aren’t able to report on the different traits and requisites the candidate did or did not exhibit. On the same note, if a candidate fails to demonstrate one or two specific traits you are looking for, make sure your interviewing team is ready to explore further, to ensure whether or not the candidate is failing to communicate an attribute, or simply cannot demonstrate the skills.
- The Interviewer Asks Effective Questions
Questions are the most crucial tool you have as an interviewer. However, don’t simply ask any questions that appear to you in your mind. The best interviewers ask effective questions which lead you to understand how your candidate can potentially contribute to your company’s success.
In order to devise the most effective questions, Human Resources Expert Susan M. Heathfield advises to first identify what traits you are looking for in your new hire. From there, create questions which give your candidate the best possible opportunity to demonstrate those traits.
- The Interview Is Opened Up to Questions from the Candidate
An interview should be a two-way conversation. Brad Shorr writes for Forbes about the importance of candidates’ questions: the questions a candidates ask of their own accord shows an insight into their genuine interest for the job.
Asking the right questions also shows a candidate’s understanding of the job, as well as their initiative.
A candidate should already have a basic idea about the job, and have done significant research before attending. You will notice what research the candidate has done by the questions they ask; these questions should help the candidate to dig a little deeper, beyond what is possible to research. This shows just how committed to the job prospect they are.
Conclusion: Focus on Your Purpose and Prepare for an Efficient Interview
If you focus on the specific goals you want to achieve in your interview, and your interviewing team are prepared to get the most out of the interview time, you’ll most likely be on the right track to executing the ideal interview.
For more expert advice or for a specialist consultation on recruiting, please find out more at A Crawford Thomas’ website.