Typically, we always find tips for the interviewees on answering questions, staying confident, and more. However, we talk very little about the interviewers and their processes. Being a staffing agency, interviewers play a significant role in the interviewee's performance. Sometimes, a candidate hesitates initially, but when they get comfortable, they perform well.
Therefore, we share the 6 most valuable tips for conducting a successful job interview. These tips will help you to get better results and choose the right candidate.
- Make a list of Questions To be Asked
One common problem among HR managers or the interviewing team is they don’t know what to ask the candidate. They schedule the meeting and ask questions randomly. Due to this, most HR managers end up hiring unsuitable candidates.
As a staffing agency, we conduct interviews frequently for different industries. We ensure we don’t randomly schedule an interview without preparation. We make a list of questions to be asked during interviews based on the job description and industry. We make sure to have an expert with the relevant background for the interview. We also research an ideal topic answer, which we can use to score the candidate according to their answer. This helps us evaluate the candidate later.
2. Follow the 80-20 rule during the Interview
Do you know about the 80-20 rule? The 80-20 rule states that 80% outcomes are achieved from 20% efforts and 20% of efforts from the interviewing team yields 80% results from the candidates.
How does it relate to the interview?
Don’t put 80% effort into it yourself. Let the candidate speak and answer more. You must listen more so you can get clear answers. The candidate’s answers will allow you to ask more questions.
If you are the only one speaking, you can never assess the candidate. All metrics you have set to screen the candidates will not be checked. Therefore, you need to provide an opportunity for the candidate to talk and listen patiently.
3. Have a detailed look on the resume
How would you examine the candidates if you don’t know about them? So, it is mandatory to go through a resume before interviewing a candidate.
But why is it necessary, as you have already set your questions?
The resume is the only way you can learn about the candidate. It will tell you about the experience, gap, and, most importantly, soft skills. You can ask about the responsibilities, why they switched to another company, and explain any gaps in the resume. These questions are not only necessary for assessing technical skills but also for soft skills and the retention rate of the candidate.
4. Inform the candidate about the structure of interview
Every company has a different interviewing structure. Some have a single round, while other firms have multiple rounds, so you must let them know about the process and structure of the interview.
What should you inform them?
- If you have reached out to the candidate yourself, share a strong job description and expectations. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have a good idea of the job.
- Share the detailed timeline for the samples, interviews, and feedback. It will help the candidate to stay on time for the submissions.
- Provide feedback from time to time so the candidate knows about their progress.
5. Make the candidate comfortable and let them ask Questions
Most candidates get nervous and cannot perform as per their capabilities during the interview. You are responsible for making them comfortable so they can show their abilities by answering the questions.
How can you make them comfortable?
- Greet them properly and ask some light-hearted questions.
- Introduce yourself before asking them.
- If they get nervous, relax them by saying it is okay; you can start over and more.
- Be encouraging and appreciate them for their answers.
Moreover, it would help if you let candidates ask questions and clear their doubts. It will allow them to relax again and ask queries. You must practice this to give space to the candidate to open up.
6. Take notes while interviewing
Your brain cannot hold and process all the information no matter how much you try. So, it is better to take notes while interviewing. Keep a physical or virtual note-taking pad with you. Mostly, people note some essential pointers. However, we suggest you write down everything in short points. In this way, you can ensure you miss nothing and make the right decision after discussing it with other team members (if any).
Conclusion
The hiring process makes and breaks your whole team. So, if anything goes wrong, you’ll have to bear the consequences and repeat the same process. However, you can save your team’s time and effort by being prepared. The primary role is to get the most out of the hiring process and interviews. You should know some basics, some prepared notes, information about candidates, and be patient enough to handle them.