An interview resembles an open-ended exam, in which there is a known answer to each question but a different path to arrive at the desired response.
The most important thing about conducting an interview is learning how to have an ordinary conversation on an equal footing. Remembering that each of the parties has their own views and experiences, both personally and professionally, can be challenging. You are expected to be an interesting conversationalist while remaining motivated, attentive, professional and human.
Don't panic. These secrets will guide you through conducting a successful professional interview.
How to Start an Interview
Before interviewing, try to create an image of someone who can succeed in this position. The task is not just to talk to a person and spend time, but to conclude. If you want to understand how a potential employee is responsible, efficient, independent, whether he possesses organizational qualities, etc., make a list of these qualities and check for them throughout the interview. For example, an accountant or operator needs to have such qualities as clarity and diligence — and your interview should be aimed at identifying precisely these qualities.
Usually, it is believed that the interview's sole purpose is to decide whether a candidate is suitable or not. This is the goal that lies on the surface. However, there are several more critical tasks: to motivate an interesting candidate for a job in the company, to leave a positive impression of the company for the one who did not quite suit you, to assess the candidate as accurately as possible in terms of individual characteristics, abilities, skills, potential, experience, and values.
At the same time, we can talk about the parallel solution of such tasks as the optimal distribution of time, obtaining truly reliable information, storing the information received, and much more. Thus, a seemingly simple matter turns out to be very complex.
Before starting the interview, after greeting the interviewer, it is necessary to spend a few minutes having a short conversation with the candidate to create a favorable atmosphere for the interview. There is such a term as the rule of 40 seconds. It is believed that, on average, the first impression is formed during this time.
It is important to remember that both you and the candidate have to make an impression. Help the candidate feel comfortable. It is also recommended to enable the person to behave naturally to get complete answers to the questions that will be asked during the interview. This is necessary because an interview conducted in a tense, stressful environment will contribute to the formation of a negative impression about you, the work in general, and the company.
It would help if you also told a little about the company, how it operates, and about the open job. This takes no more than 10 minutes, and will give you a lot:
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You will be able to build a task or case in an interview, basing them on the specifics of the company's business;
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The candidate will be able, talking about himself and his experience, to select as much as possible that is relevant for a given situation;
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You will be able to evaluate the candidate's ability to perceive new information by how ready he is to use the data that he received;
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You can avoid mistakes associated with an inaccurate understanding of the situation. Often, candidates mean very different things to the same position and department in various companies;
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You will be able to position and motivate the candidate even more because you did not start the interview with questions, but allowed him to find something about where he came from.
If you find it difficult to compile a list of your company's benefits, or you want to ask non-trivial questions, you can always contact professional writing services.
What Are the Best Questions to Learn More about a Candidate?
Initially, the candidate is asked questions about his work experience, education, additional training, and courses. It is necessary to create a favorable and friendly atmosphere for the exchange of information.
- Tell us a little about yourself?
- What attracts you to our company?
- How satisfied are you with the pace of your career?
- Tell us about your last job?
- The reason for leaving your previous job?
For more detail, to provide the candidate with the opportunity to fully demonstrate his characteristics and past behaviors, additional clarifying questions should be asked.
If the person has a lot of job experience, focus on that. Conversely, if the candidate has little to none, optional questions are to be asked. As a rule, a person's behavior in the past makes it possible to most accurately predict how a person will behave in the future, being in a similar situation. Mentally analyzing the actions of the candidate in the past, imagine how well he will be able to cope with his future responsibilities, what will be the style of the candidate's behavior in the position you are filling:
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What was the biggest problem you faced in your last job, and how did you solve it?
- Why should I hire you?
- What motivates people to work most effectively?
How to End an Interview
The last stage of negotiations involves a summary. Ask the candidate when they can start work, how much time they need to decide, what other proposals they have, and how they will choose? In any case, thank them for their time, and also clearly agree on next steps. We highly recommend being completely honest with the candidate at this stage of the process.
About the Author: Elsa Avendano is a 26 years old highly sought-after employee at Best Custom Writing. She has a degree in psychological education, and in the future, she wants to become a journalist to travel more. Elsa is engaged in charity work in her free time and conducts personal growth training for girls who run their businesses. She also conducts psychological research on parenting and developing childhood trauma in adults. Elsa writes informative, quality articles and site descriptions. The range of topics in her work is extensive. She is not afraid to write about something new because she loves to learn.
