business builder interviewing
Skilled interview
is first step to
hiring well
by Kurt Thompson
WANTED: Light-footed dance partner who can lead as well as follow a cue. Should possess the ability to stay one step ahead in a conversation. Ideal candidate will have detailed knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission-recommended practices for interviewing and hiring. Ability to use intuitive skills is a plus.
Although you probably won’t ever see it worded quite this way, this is a good description of a skilled interviewer, that all-important person who can find the right candidate for the job.
There is more to the process than just asking the right questions, and herein lies the dance. A successful interview will help tell an employer if the candidate can do the job well, fit in with other employees and contribute to the company’s bottom line.
That’s no small feat, and there’s a right way and a wrong way to find out what you need to know.
In many small and medium-sized businesses, screening candidates and conducting skillful interviews may fall to someone who’s already juggling multiple responsibilities. Whether you keep the responsibility in-house, or use outside firms to help you, here are some guidelines to follow.
First, thoroughly review the candidate’s resume and any prescreening documentation. Prepare questions that will verify, clarify and draw out more detail about information provided in the resume.
Take a few minutes to establish rapport with the candidate to help reduce the tension.
It’s also important to promote your organization to the applicant. Think of yourself sitting in the other chair. Wouldn’t you want to know the challenges and rewards of a new job? Isn’t it important for a candidate to be aware of options for advancement? The discussion can be general, with details left for later.
The nuts and bolts of the interview are where it’s helpful to have some sleuthing skills. The interviewer’s goal is to get the facts to determine whether the candidate is the best person for the job.
Consider these best practices:
• Control the situation. The person asking questions and listening controls the interview. If the interviewer takes a semi-structured approach to the interview, the right questions get asked and there’s time built in for follow-up questions.
• Don't rely on first impressions. Some interviewers make up their minds within the first 10 minutes, but by doing so they may miss the real person.
• Spend most of the time listening. Get the candidate to do 80 percent of the talking.
• Allow time for the applicant to ask questions, and pay attention to what is asked. Answer those questions honestly and invite the candidate to ask for clarification. Follow up by asking about the interest in a particular issue.
• Be systematic. If you're interviewing several candidates, be sure to query each on the same general set of issues: their backgrounds, what they would bring to the position, their long-term career objectives. Their responses provide a base from which to compare the candidates.
• Avoid asking the wrong questions. These are questions that can lead to a discrimination lawsuit against an employer. (See sidebar.)
Actions count
One popular job interviewing technique involves a behavioral-based method of gathering information. By having the candidate cite specific examples of past performance, interviewers can anticipate the candidate's future behavior. Instead of asking, “Are you a good leader?” ask for specific achievements and accomplishments.
Hiring someone without performing thorough background and reference checks and asking difficult questions is just bad business. The result may be an employee who leaves or is terminated after a few months on the job, wasting an enormous amount of time and money in training and wages.
Yet a successful interview will ultimately lead to a rewarding relationship, one that is satisfying and motivating for the employee and profitable for the employer.
[contact] Kurt Thompson is district manager for Administaff in Minneapolis, a professional employer organization: 866.210.2471; kurt_thompson@administaff.com; www.administaff.com
