Searching for a new employee is always a very responsible process for an employer. It is the manager who will be responsible for the mistakes of the new employee and in order to avoid unforeseen expenses, stress and disappointment when choosing an employee, we have prepared a selection of tips for conducting interviews.
How to start the interview?
It is terrible to conduct a stress interview when you are aggressively observing a person, choosing the role of a “supervisor”.
The ideal interview is the one when you adapt to the person: the way of thinking, speech, diction, gestures and facial expressions. This method allows the person to relax and be more open.
Start the conversation with a presentation of the company, and only then proceed to get acquainted with the potential employee.
What you should ask during the interview
To find out how loyal the employee was to his previous employers, ask the candidate why he left his previous job.
Another important question for you, the answer to which will reveal the values of the candidate, will be: “What would make you leave your new job?”.
But this is not all that you should ask at the interview. Here are 4 types of non-standard questions that will help to reveal more about the candidate:
- Ask an informal question, like “What is your favorite book?”. This will help the candidate feel at ease during the interview, and the HR manager will be able to see his communication skills.
- Ask how the candidate usually fits into the team, for example, how easily he/she does it, what value he/she brought to the projects he/she worked on, etc.
- Ask the candidate to tell you about previous difficult moments in their work that they have faced. For example, a tight deadline or an example of working with difficult clients.
- You can also ask some random questions. This way you can see how the candidate works under pressure. However, be careful with the use of any puzzles, as this can put off potential colleagues.
At the moment when the potential employee answers the questions, the employer should not only listen but also hear the candidate. At this point, we recommend taking notes and recording the answers.
Listen carefully to what words the potential employee uses (I did, I achieved, I planned or summarized the work of the team) and whether he speaks positively.
What you should not ask during the interview
There are also some things that should be avoided to ensure that the interview is fair and legitimate. For example:
Age, race, religion or other characteristics
Such questions have no relevance to the job and in many countries are even illegal under equal employment opportunity laws.
Personal life
Questions about a candidate's personal life or family situation have nothing to do with their ability to perform the job. Moreover, such questions may make the candidate uncomfortable or even discourage them from applying for the position.
Leading questions
Such questions imply a certain answer. For example, if you start a question with the words “Do you disagree that…” or “Isn't it true that…”, you are unlikely to get an accurate assessment of the candidate.
Unethical questions
Unethical questions can also be an issue for the employer. Therefore, it is not worth asking the candidate, for example, about his/her medical history or financial situation.
Use a structured interview format and follow our tips to use the interview to make informed hiring decisions as efficiently as possible!
