Not everyone who handles hiring at a company is an HR professional or recruiter. This is typically true of smaller to medium-sized businesses where employees may wear many hats. On top of current job duties, finding the time to properly prepare for a candidate interview may not be your main focus.
Being a proficient interviewer is important in creating a powerful and genuine candidate experience. Follow these 5 easy-to-implement tips to better conduct job interviews.
TIP #1: Make the candidate comfortable
Help calm their nerves by making sure you are welcoming and inviting. Offer them a glass of water or coffee, give them a tour of the facility or introduce them to other staff members to put them at ease.
TIP #2: Give a brief introduction
Starting the interview off with a brief outline of how it will be structured can help to ensure you both remain focused and on task. This also gives the candidate a sense of what to expect. First, give a short overview of the company and the job duties then proceed to interview questions. Lastly, open the floor to questions from the candidate.
TIP #3: Ask meaningful questions
Direct questions based on the candidate’s resume. Show that you have taken the time to get to know them and their accomplishments. Indicate that you have prepared interview questions and written them down ahead of time to result in a productive interview experience.
TIP #4: Don’t speak more than needed
Although the candidate needs information from you, allow them plenty of time to describe their qualifications. The ratio of talking should be 70 percent from the candidate and 30 percent from the interviewer.
TIP #5: Make sure to follow up
Follow-up after the interview. Whether the candidate receives the job offer or not, contacting them after the interview is important to deliver closure in the process. Additionally, a follow up contributes to a meaningful candidate experience.