A common misconception may be that job interviews are only of benefit to the recruiter’s side, when in fact it is just as much about the candidate gauging whether the company is right for them too. In today’s job market, there is a very high demand for certain skills, especially in engineering, IT and skilled trades. This is partially to do with the evolution of the type of jobs available, with many being driven by rapid innovation across many industries, and also the aging population in many developed countries. Thanks to this, it is becoming ever more important that organisations are conducting job interviews as effectively as possible, to ensure they are recruiting the best talent possible.
Below are a few tips on how an organisation can conduct successful job interviews.
1) Prepare questions
Just as a candidate will be preparing for these and posing their own, it is important that you have the right questions ready to ask them during the interview. You are required to be as prepared as they will be, and this begins with you deciding what you are looking for in a new hire. The role will already have been defined and that leaves you with the opportunity to base the interview on their skills and personality. You can look at your current top performing employees and possibly base your criteria off them.
2) Sell the job – but at the right time
It is unlikely that every candidate you interview is going to be worth wooing and selling the job to, so don’t begin the interview in this way. Start by letting them talk about what they can bring to the organisation and start to gauge whether they would be a good fit for your company. In fact, however, the job is being sold right from when the position is being advertised. Everything from that point will make an impression, be it good or bad, on the candidate, and will influence their decision. Little things that an organisation can do like installing a visitor management system to welcome them to the office, will all build towards selling the job.
3) Help the candidates get comfortable
Interviews can be nerve-racking and this could really affect a candidate’s interview performance, even if they look great on paper. Stress reduces performance so give them a good start by informing them in advance of what to expect during the interview, what the dress code is, and arranging the interview at a time convenient for them. The interview will go much better for everyone if they are able to prepare in advance, rather than possibly appearing blindsided by certain questions and conversations.
4) Involve a few people in the process
Ideally, you would want different perspectives when hiring people, especially if the role involves working with different people or across departments. You will ideally want to find a balance between having multiple opinions and assessments of candidates, but not so much so that the process is drawn out because the decision makers can’t come to an agreement.
