An interview is the most important part of the hiring process. While job seekers may feel like the pressure is all on them during an interview, employers who host interviews also bear some responsibility for the success of the discussion. Basically, every employer knows the cost of hiring someone who is not right for a particular position, and that's far more expensive for the employer to handle.
If you're well-prepared, an interview is a great way to identify qualified job applicants. But if you're not well prepared, you can end up hiring the wrong person. Conducting a job interview may seem to be the most crucial part of the process that involves talking to number of people and then choosing the best candidate.
Taking that to note, conducting an effective job interview allows employers to hire the right candidate and thus reduce possible future expenses, such as recruitment and training, related to finding replacement workers. So, here are few tips on how you can conduct an effective job interview.
Determine the Job Requirements
It's quite important to determine the job requirements before you start the interview process. You must identify all the job-requirements that involves not only reviewing the position description but also thinking about the present, and identifying the essential skills they will be bringing to the job. Also, you can consult with your co-workers who know the positions well and create a list of things that are necessary for the success of the hiring process. The main idea here is, to have a clear understanding of the required skills for the position so you can look for these features during the interview.
Be Prepared
To ensure you get the most out of the interview, you must prepare thoroughly beforehand. This preparation should include: preparing questions, scheduling interview time, and arranging a suitable location. By putting together a list of questions to ask with every candidate, you can have the chance to observe to make sure that they fit to the given position. Also, you should interview the candidate in a suitable place where there won't be any disturbances. However, there must be a schedule regarding the interview time. It is very important to devote enough time for each interview.
Take Notes
Since human memory is limited, it's a good idea to take notes during the interview. This not only makes the candidate feel important and respected, but it also makes it easier to recall the answers given so you can make more accurate decisions. If you're planning to interview several candidates, make a set of detailed notes for each interviewee. Basically, making a set of specific notes for each interview allows interviewers to be specific about why they came to certain conclusions about candidates.
Be Flexible
To achieve the main goal of the interview, you must be flexible and friendly with the candidates. Start by having a small talk at the beginning to put the candidate at ease, but you must be careful on conducting each interview within a standard time frame. Remember to be friendly and flexible with the candidate in order to collect sufficient data about him/her. The collected data can later be used for analysis and comparisons.
Pay Attention to Responses
While interviewing your candidate, it is quite important to listen to every answer given by them. By doing this, you won't end up asking a question that has already been answered. This mistake can be embarrassing enough to make you look like you're not serious about the candidate and the interview. Sometimes, a response to a question will give you the answer to another question. In addition to this, getting multiple answers within a single question can be handful, so be attentive especially to these things during the interview.
Check References
Another thing which you must reconsider is to conduct a thorough reference check. Do not assume that everything in the applicant's resume is accurate. It's a human nature that sometimes people can make false claims in order to strengthen their qualifications, especially when an important job is on the line. To protect yourself from being trapped with these false claims, always verify the candidate's’ references and background information before extending an offer of employment. Also, make sure to contact the former supervisors and ask them about the candidate's performance as well as quality of work.
Allow Candidates to Question
By letting the candidates to have the chance to question can be another tip for an effective job interview. Well prepared candidates will have many questions concerning about the position requirements, benefits and advancement prospective. Either we are the candidate ourselves or the managers, we know that every candidate would want to ask some questions at the ending part of their interview.
So, it's a good idea to provide an opportunity to address any concerns or questions candidate may have at the end of the interview. Following these seven simple techniques will not only help you make the right hiring decisions more orderly, but will also help secure the future of your company.
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