Successful recruitment results in a better fit between candidate and business. It can also flag up potentially problematic areas early on, highlight strengths and identify how and where an individual would sit well within an organisation. Honing interviewing techniques can result in overall higher retention and happier staff – so how do you do it?
Step 1: the job description
Writing an accurate and informative job description will attract the right candidates and focus the mind of the interviewer in terms of what the business is really looking for. A concise description that focuses on core skills and identifies what the right candidate will achieve over specific timeframes will lay the foundation for effective recruitment.
Step 2: interview questions
Writing the job description will have identified what the key attributes are for a candidate to be successful in the role, as well as the skills and experience to support those. So, the next step is to develop questions that will draw out whether a candidate meets those criteria.
Step 3: create a set of standard interview documents
If you’re interviewing a lot of candidates then it’s going to be important to ensure your questioning is consistent so that you can achieve measurable results. Key to this will be creating a set of standard interview documents that set out the questions you’re going to ask each candidate.
Step 4: keeping records
When you’re creating your standard interview documents you may also want to include a notes document that you can record answers and key points on during the interview. This will help you to ensure that you don’t forget essential information. If you’re interviewing multiple candidates it will also give you comparable documents to look back on at the end of the process.
Step 5: follow up on facts
When trying to impress an interviewer people can make all sorts of outrageous claims. Even the more modest numbers and assertions should be checked after the interview has closed, either against the CV or following up via references or other means. Just make a note of any figures or claims that seem particularly important during the interview itself and then follow up afterwards.
Step 6: don’t shy away from the money talk
Some candidates find it difficult to talk salary and so won’t bring this up during an interview. However, it’s one of the defining features of whether this person is a good fit for the role. So, don’t shy away from ensuring that expectations as to salary, bonus, benefits etc are aligned.
Step 7: ask the hard questions
For example, any role on a candidate’s CV that is for less than two years could be a sign that something went wrong in a previous job. So, it will be crucial to get an understanding of what happened and whether this could potentially be an indication of issues in the future.
Step 8: learn to listen
Sometimes, letting candidates talk is the only way to really get a sense of who the person is and what they have to offer. It’s as important to listen during an interview as it is to talk – otherwise you may find it difficult to make a decision.
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