Conducting interviews can be tough. When interviewing someone, there are lot of things to consider in order to select the best candidate for the job. The goal of an interview is to learn more information about the candidate and decide if they’d be a good fit for the position and the organization.
To get the most out of your candidates, there are certain ways to best conduct an interview.
Interrupting
The art of interrupting can be a little tricky. The person on the other side may be nervous, over confident, well spoken, and ultimately unique in their personality and professionalism. While conducting an interview, be sure to interrupt them with a smile, match their enthusiasm level, and use reflective listening cues to ask for clarification. This can help candidates feel more comfortable with you, which in turn will help you get a better read on their identity.
The Three P’s
During an interview, a common topic is accomplishments. How do you know whether an accomplishment a candidate talks about is good or not? Ask them these questions:
- How did your performance compare to the previous year?
- How did your performance compare to the plan?
- How did your performance compare to that of the peers?
By asking and listening to the answers, you can gain a lot of further insight to their skills, performance, and character.
Push vs. Pull
There are two kinds of language and types that occur when presented with opportunities. Some candidates may have been pushed to an opportunity, and they’ll use language such as, “it was time for me to leave,” or “my boss and I were not getting along to get promoted.” The other type is pull, and candidates in this group will say and answer with, “my client hired me,” or “my boss recruited me.”
Stop Signs
A key thing to be aware of is inconsistencies, dishonesty, and comfortableness. When these happen, it is important to dig deeper into the conversation. Find out what the truth really is and figure out the details.
