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Interviewing techniques
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Interviewing techniques
Interviews are an integral part of the traditional recruitment process. The one-to-one contact can provide an in-depth impression of how that individual will perform in your given position. Getting the most out of interviewing is a combination of preparation, suitable questioning and listening. There are a whole host of different techniques depending on how you aim to approach the interview and the purpose of it.
Methods of interviews
Generally there are two styles of interviews: Unstructured - these meeting tend to be a bit relaxed on a one to one basis and more of a fire side chat over a cup of coffee, to get to know more about each other. The interviewer might ask you questions more around your interests, educational background, and previous work experience and any other subject that they feel is important in their organisation or to the job. Structured - will be a more formal interview where an interviewer will have a clear agenda and list of questions to ask you throughout. They will ask you questions about your skills, knowledge and experience in areas that relate to the job you are being interviewed for. They want to get an idea of whether you have the necessary skills to do the job. An example question might be 'Give me an example of a time when you have had to plan and organise your own work.' Here they want to look at how you assess your workload, plan and prioritise it, monitor your progress and evaluate whether you hit your deadlines. Examples you could use are school projects, a dissertation or any other long project where you've had to plan you own time and look after your own workload.
Preparation
The variety in interview techniques and structures used reflects the variety of factors influencing employers when approaching interviews. Personal preferences, different objectives and the past experience of the company combine to influence the techniques employed. Planning carefully and employing rigorous questioning and listening techniques can implement all of these methods. You don't have to use fancy techniques though. Here's a simple checklist:
Your requirements:
Think about the job specification. What specific skills are you looking for, what experience is essential and what is desirable? What are the main duties of your position and what is the scope for career progression within that role? What characteristics are you looking for? Outlining specific requirements will help to define your questions, and uncover relevant information.
Analyse the CV and recruitment specialist’s notes in advance:
Important but easily overlooked when time is at a premium. From the written details, you can highlight strengths and weaknesses. It may also emphasise any gaps or issues that need to be addressed. From this, you can decide on additional areas to probe. You may also want to discover more about the companies that the candidate has worked for, and their role within them. For instance, if the position held was that of supervisor, how many staff where supervised and how did he/she feel about that? How did he/she cope? How does he/she feel about supervising even more staff, or less? Use the information to hand to ask relevant questions for your position.
Ensure you have a detailed brief of the job specification:
Be prepared for questions regarding this as well as the company itself. If you are assertive in your response, it will give the candidate greater confidence and trust in you, and present you in a professional light. After all, if this is the perfect candidate for your position, you want them to have the best impression of you and the company.
The interview room:
To get the most out of the candidate it's important to put him/her at ease. Choose a room where you won't be disturbed. If it is to be held in your office, divert your calls and ensure no one interrupts. Imagine how distracting it will be for you and the individual if the telephone is constantly ringing or if there's a knock at the door. An informal setting will also put the individual at ease. Two chairs at a low table are far less threatening than the barrier of a desk.
Your agenda
Have an agenda prepared for the interview. This will help you keep to your time limit and keep you focused on the questions you need to ask. Have a plan of which questions you need to ask and when – formulate a clear structure to which you can stick.
Before commencing the interview, remember you will get the most out of the candidate when they are feeling at ease. You only have a limited amount of time to achieve this. Introduce yourself, run through the agenda and tell them how long you plan to take. Informing the candidate of what to expect should help to put them at ease. Ask permission to take notes, it is courteous and won't alarm the them if you suddenly start scribbling an answer down.
Questioning techniques
Open questions; who, what, where, when, how and why. Questions that explore and gather a wide range of information
Probing questions; specific questions relating to details. Check information gained through open questions
Closed questions; look for the answer to single facts, again used for probing
Hypothetical questions; ask 'how would you feel if...' - leads the candidate to think on a wider scale. Gives a feel for how the candidate would react, although don't take their answer literally, they may react differently in the event
Leave a lasting impression
The candidate is not the only one being tested during the interview. It is critical that you make the best impression possible as they will be forming lasting opinions of your company from the interview. Shabby surroundings, a disorganised interviewer, or constant disruptions all reflect badly on the company. As soon as you meet the candidate you are portraying an impression of that company. To exude the desired image be organised, well-presented and on time! Reflect the efficiency you are looking for in your candidates.
Closing the interview
Closing the interview leaves them with their final impression of you. Invite the candidate to ask questions. He/she may need clarification on issues or you may not have covered an area of interest for him/her. Explain what is to follow next – outline a timescale detailing when you expect to make a decision and when the candidate will be notified. Discuss the interview process. Will there be a second or third interview, will there be a panel interview, and can they expect any tests?
To conclude
As soon as you finish the interview, make a quick summary of what you thought, felt and any key points. Outline how you left things with the candidate. It's amazing how much you can forget if you don't do this, especially if you're interviewing more than one person in a day. This will help you when you make your comparisons for second interviews or for that all important offer.
So – next time you're interviewing a selection of applicants or even just the one, there is no excuse for lack of preparation! Think about the way you want to interview, analyse the CV, recruitment specialist’s notes and job specification. Decide what you want to ask and how you want to ask it. Consider the impression you make and take notes. With preparation, you'll become a more successful and efficient interviewer.
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