To hire the right people for your business, you will have to conduct efficient interviews. Good interview techniques will put the candidates at ease and will get the best out of them. It can help you make a fair and educated judgment about the candidate.
Most businesses often ignore the fundamentals of an interview, leading them to hire inadequate employees who contribute nothing after they are hired.
We have made some suggestions for you to make sure you make interviewing more effective and successful.
Read the CV before an interview.
Make sure to familiarize yourself with the candidate that you are about to interview. You can review the general information and their interest, past projects, and testimonials to build a rapport with the candidate.
Put the candidate at ease.
When the candidate comes in, you should greet with a smile and shake their hand. Make small talk before the interview starts and also ensure that your office has privacy.
Don’t judge too quickly.
You should not prioritize the CV too much as, in reality, the candidate can be much better than what you are assuming. Keep your mind open in an interview and decide after it is over.
Don’t make the candidate wait too much.
Turning up late for an interview is unprofessional, and you should avoid it. By being late, you will further worsen the candidate’s nerves. Similarly, it would be best if you did not hurry the candidate out of the door because you have another meeting to attend as it will damage your reputation as an employer.
Treat the interview as your priority, as it can have a great impact on your hiring process.
Avoid robotic introduction.
Break the ice with an informal chat. For example, you can ask about how their journey was or the weather. Help the candidate get warm and relaxed. You can also use this time to briefly introduce yourself and the company or discuss the interview structure.
Start by giving a brief introduction regarding the job and try to sell the opportunity.
Ask questions
As the interview flows, start asking questions in a way that does not seem like an interrogation. Listen to the interviewee attentively and ask any follow-up questions. Allow them to finish before you fire another question at them. Take things slowly as it would give time for the candidate to think before they respond. You can also take this time to think of better questions.
It would help if you asked about their ambitions and areas they would like to develop. It would give you a sense of what your company is taking in. After all, the new hire is an investment.
One thing that you should avoid is asking closed questions. Do not ask “Do you want this job?” instead ask “Why do you want this job?” to leave room for elaboration and engagement.
Entertain questions from the interviewee
It is important to ask the candidate if they have any questions about the job or the company. A good candidate will ask questions about expectations, the culture, role, projects, and future growth. It is a sign that they have done their homework and are interested in working with the company.
Close the interview on a good note
Once you have made sure that you have covered everything you wanted to discuss, thank the interviewee for their time and know you will be in touch. Confirm the time phrase they can expect to get an answer. End it on a friendly note so that you leave a positive impression on them.
Make a decision
Now that the interview has ended, it is time to decide whether you want to hire the candidate or not. Go through your notes, reflect on the discussion, and think of any important points that can help you decide. More interviews might be left, but it is important to conclude right after the interview whether they can be the right fit for your organization.
If more people interviewed with you, then take time to discuss their thoughts and then come to a final judgment.
Conclusion
To hire the best people, your hiring strategy needs to be strong as well. Remember that taking the right people is necessary, and any blunder can lead you to a demotivated and unproductive employee that will cost the business.
