The Effective Job Interview
It always a good idea to have some standard questions to guide the interview process. Although it may seem tedious taking copious notes, it will help you to remember the interviewee's comments. It is also important to make the interviewee comfortable so that you can see them in their true nature. I suggest that the beginning of the interview is one of the most important in that establishing a repore will bring out more of what the interviewee is like personality wise. I feel this is one of the most important aspects of the interview process.
Hi Alexis,
Welcome to the class! You make some excellent points in your post. Asking standard questions of all candidates also gives you an opportunity to compare them to one another. The copious notes is a great idea because after interviewing several candidates, the notes will jog your memory as each is considered. It is also important to tell them in advance that you will be taking notes so they realize that it is a standard part of the process.
What kind of things do you do to establish repoire with a candidate?
Fortunately for me, I seem to make people feel instantly comfortable. It's a gift inhereted from my dad. Most cases, a big smile, even tone in my voice, and a slight sign of excitement whenever I meet anyone puts people right at ease.
I welcome with an open hand, palms turned upward and a heartfilled hello. Small talk usually helps, and always make a funny.
Hi Alexis,
Those are great ideas for putting a candidate at ease. It is also important that the administrative assistant, if you have one, establish a comfortable environment, too. Offering coffee or a glass of water is a nice courtesy to extend.
Pat
This was such an excellent time to discuss
interviewing and chosing the right person for
the job. We are in the process of interviewing
applicants for Assistant Director of our
campus here in El Paso.
The Director, Academic Dean and Career Services
Director work as a team to interview the
applicant. This has proven to be an excellent
method for chosing the right person for this
most difficult and time consuming job. Our
AD does all the scheduling for 200 students every
six weeks. It is a very detail-oriented
job. In addition they handle all student
activities.
I used as the Academic Dean many of the
guidelines presented in this first module.
For example: On their resume they list job
duties, asking them to explain and go over
tasks that they accomplished that were challenging.
Our team method of interviewing--well it is
so effective in selecting the right person.
Salma,
It sounds like you have a great process in place. I like the fact that you involve others on the team to be part of the interview process. Organizational fit is such a key component and your process should help determine if the candidate is a fit. If you don't already do so, I would encourage you to establish a list of questions that you would ask all candidates. I assume you actually interviw at least two or three candidates. Asking them all the same questions allows for a good basis for comparison. Even if you are hiring someone for an established position, it is always wise also to review the job description in case the responsibilities might have evolved into something different.
Pat
on the day of the interview I try to make sure that nothing occurs that will keep me from completing the interview successfully example: I review the job description and other requirements that are very important to let the job applicants knows.Benefits,continuing education opportunities etc.
I recommend that we need to project a warm,friendly smile due to smiling is the universal language.Be polite and courteous.Do not sit before the applicant.Keep the area clean with out food .Try to project very clear the reason why the company has this oppening.Speak clearly and answer questions honestly and always remember ato thank the job applicant at the end of the interview.
Mercedes,
It sounds like you have a great process for interviewing candidates. It is key to be prepared. I usually have a list of prepared questions so that I ask all candidates the same questions and have a basis for comparison. That works well for me. Candidates will do better in an interview if you make them feel comfortable and at ease, which you seem to do. Great job.
Pat
I like to prepare a set of questions prior to the interview that will cover the important points of the position. I like to phrase my questions where the candidate will give me enough feed back. I conduct the interview in a private area, I also want to make sure the candidate is comfortable and at ease.
Elsa
Elsa,
It sounds like you walk into an interview situation well prepared. The set of questions is particularly good, especially if you have multiple final candidates. It allows you to fairly compare those candidates and decide who is best suited for the position. Asking questions requiring more in depth or open ended responses is important as well. That way you get more than a yes or no response and it is easier to assess the candidate appropriateness for the position.
Pat
Typically, I like to use situational interview questions such as the Lominger interview technique. This has proven very beneficial and tends to bring out facets of an interviewee that might not otherwise be observed. This can go both ways, positive attributes can manifest as well as less desirable attributes.
I also like to dig a bit deeper and probe into statements made on the application such as “I was a project leader†I might inquire as to what the project was, the value of the project, how many people were involved / lead, and if it was successfully implemented. Often, it seems that candidates might over or under describe a specific accomplishment. This tactic helps me develop a comprehensive understanding of what the candidate’s true abilities might be.
James,
Well done. Situational interviewing has been around for years and is still viewed as a technique which provides a thorough assessment of your candidates. Of course, your situational questions need to be based on a comprehensive job description as well, prepared in advance, and asked of all candidates. Doing so, provides a good basis for comparison of your candidates. The more you can learn up front in the interview, the better your chances are of hiring a candidate who is a good organizational fit and capable of handling the job responsibilities.
Pat
When I first became a manager at my school, we had 6 different managers hiring anybody they wanted without any kind of formal process. Needless to say, we hired some people that should never have been hired and it was a long painful process until they worked themselves out either by getting on board or leaving the company. During the last few years we have changed our strategy. Now we have a professional recruiter who screens the applicants and sends suggestions to our hiring manager at our campus. Our hiring manager then reviews the resumes and requests the recruiter to phone screen certain individuals. If the recruiter likes the candidate, then the candidate is brought on site for an interview. The candidate first meets with the hiring manager for a discussion and then talks to approximately 5 other individuals independently. All of us then get together and discuss the strenghts and weaknesses of the candidate and whether or not we want to move forward. If the answer is yes,we schedule the candidate for a panel interview with 4 of our senior instructors who use a set of standardized questions. If the candidate does good during this phase and all parties are in agreement, we extend an offer to the candidate. We have achieved great success with this process and are now hiring quality employees who turn out to be great instructors for our students.
Richard,
It sounds like your process is effective for your institution in hiring high quality candidates. The actual interview is the other piece of the puzzle which insures quality hires. Each of those participating in the interview must be well prepared to conduct the interview. I like the fact that your instructors use a standardized set of questions. That allows for a comparison of the candidates and their responses. Of course, the whole process begins with a well-written job description.
Keep up the good work!
Pat
It may take a little more time, but I find it helps me to prepare questions taylored to fit the candidate. I spend time reviewing the resume and thinking about the specific points a want to know more about. I then develop a list of questions that will help me explore those points. There are always of course the standard questions you ask to all candidates to develop a baseline, but people are indeviduals, and you need to interview them as such to find out what they are truly about.
Hi Israel,
Welcome to the class.
Preparation is key to conducting an effective interview and ultimately to hiring the best qualified person for the position. Preparing appropriate questions which allows you to make that decision can sometimes be a challenge as can conducting the interview to help you make that determination. The behavioral interview seems to work best for this purpose. Making certain that the questions you prepare allow the candidate to respond in a thorough fashion which helps you determine that person's fit for the job is your ultimate goal. Questions for which a simple yes or no response is adequate will not give you the information you need to hire the best person.
Normally, there will be two final candidates and those questions asked of both candidates allow you to compare the two candidates fairly.
A good interview leads to a good hire and is a win-win for that person as well as for the school.
Pat
We usually have a job description, which we review to be sure that all areas are current. Then, I usually develop an interview guide based on the job description with points such as job requirements, and the applicants' credentials like education, previous experience and job accomplishments. The process you have outlined in this training package seems the best one to use, including the decision-making matrix.
To have an effective job interview, we first review the applications and discard those that do not qualify. Then I conduct a telephone-screening interview and then I ask some of my co-workers if they want to interview the person as well, in order to form a team. Then we give appointments so each person can interview with at least 3 of the office employees. I give the other interviewers a job description and a set of basic structured questions that they should ask and tell them to add any unstructured questions, then we all meet and discuss the candidates and then I make a decision. I think this is the most effective way for us and this is the process that I recommend.
Hi Josefina,
Welcome to the class.
Good response to the question. I am gong to back up a little bit, though, to the job description. Before you can have an effective interview, it is important to have a well written job description which reflects the actual responsibilities of the job. Once you have that, it is easier to review the applications to make certain the candidates meet your qualifications. I like the fact that you have multiple people conduct interviews because it allows you all to compare your assessment of the candidate's appropriateness for the position and fit for the organization. I also like the fact that you give your interviewers a set of questions with the opportunity to add their own. This again allows the interviewers an opportunity to compare responses based on the same questions. A couple of keys to conducting a great interview are: (1) Having a job description which actually reflects the responsibilities of the job (2) Asking open ended questions and (3) Interviewer must listen more than talk.
Pat
In my current job as a Career Services Director I teach students how to interview and prepare for potential questions that could be asked. However - prior to that I was a Human Resources Director. I would usually conduct a mix of structured with unstructured processes in the interview. Structured because there are certain skills and strengths that I need to make sure the candidate possesses. Unstructured because I want to see their personality, how much they reveal about themselves, and further evaluate their fit with the company.
