How to interview successfully
Download Interview Questions to Ask here
Interviewing can be one of the most demanding and important parts of the recruitment process. We are often surprised at the amount of employers that don’t know how to interview successfully, instead opting to wing it. Knowing how to interview successfully will lead you to recruit the best candidates, therefore it is important to consider your interview strategy to ensure a successful interview process.
When interviewing, each party involved needs to find a balance between selling themselves and gathering enough information to make the best, most informed decision. Interviewers sometimes forget this and go too heavy on grilling a candidate and forget it’s their job to sell both the role and the company. Alternatively it can go the other way and can be a great chat but at the end of the process they are no closer to knowing whether the interviewee can do the job or would fit in with the team!
How to interview successfully
Make sure you take time to strategise and consider how to interview for the roles you’re looking to fill. It is imperative for companies to ensure the interview process is as seamless and effective as possible, otherwise it can be a costly & timely process, but it doesn’t have to be. Follow the below checklist and you’ll be on your way to knowing how to interview successfully.
Considering how to interview your candidates
- Have you reviewed the job needs again and how you will assess the candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities, traits or characteristics?
- Have you devised a clear interview structure? An interview should follow a logical, well thought out progression. Poor planning can be perceived as disorganised and unprofessional.
- Have you got clearly defined objectives and a plan of action to follow after the interview?
Ask yourself the following questions in order to formulate your interview strategy
- How many interviews stages do you need to hold 1, 2 or 3?
- Who is most appropriate to hold the interviews at each stage?
- Will the candidate need to do a presentation, a skills test or psychometric?
- How long will each interview last?
- What is the duration of the interview process i.e. when will the 1st and 2nd take place and when will you make a decision, what is an ideal start date? Don’t lose momentum as this can result in losing candidates and have to start the interview process again.
- What set questions will we ask each candidate? Have you considered using the S.T.A.R interview method?
Ensure that you and the candidate have concluded on common ground. Don’t forget to close the interview appropriately; it is likely to leave a lasting impression with the candidate. Review the next steps with a clear and honest timetable. Ensure a friendly and honest approach right to the end of the interview; don’t give false encouragement or go into details for rejection.
Job offers are a big decision and they should be an informed and considered decision. So take the opportunity to get it right and not waste yours or anyone else’s time. A successful interview will both enable you to assess a candidate properly, whilst selling your company as a place where the candidate will want to work.
As a leading London recruitment agency, at Eligo we have a team of specialist recruiters who specialise in fulfilling your recruitment needs. We’d love to discuss how we can help your company deliver a successful recruitment process.
If you would like to speak to us about working together please click here or call 0208 944 4190.
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