If you’re recruiting, mastering the art of interviewing is a critical step in attracting top talent for your team. Compelling interviews help you assess candidates’ skills and fit, and positively reflect on your company.
Here’s how to refine your interview techniques to get the best from each interview.
Preparation:
Understanding the Competencies:
Review the job description thoroughly and identify the key competencies and experience required. Are you looking for competencies such as adaptability, decisiveness, leadership, commercial awareness, conflict resolution, or problem-solving? Competency-based interview techniques allow you to make confident and quicker hiring decisions and remove subjectivity and discrimination. They also give candidates a framework in which to sell themselves properly.
Consider giving the candidate access to the questions in advance. This is inclusive to all candidates and allows them the time to prepare and showcase the best of their experience, skills, and aptitude.
Set the tone
A relaxed and welcoming environment can significantly impact the quality of the interview. Start with a warm greeting and some small talk to put the candidate at ease. A comfortable setting encourages open and honest communication, allowing candidates to perform at their best.
Professor Mehrabian combined the statistical results of two studies and came up with the now famous rule that communication is only 7% verbal and 93% nonverbal. The nonverbal component comprises body language (55 %) and tone of voice (38 %). Make sure to be aware of this during the entire interview for both your actions and theirs. A lot can be said that you might miss!
Asking the Right Questions
Yes/No questions are best avoided. To keep the person you’re interviewing engaged, frame questions with what, where, how, why, and who prefixes.
Craft your questions to explore both technical skills and cultural fit. For instance, you could ask, ‘Can you tell me about a time when you faced a challenging situation at work?’ or ‘How do you handle conflict in a team setting?’ These open-ended questions encourage candidates to provide detailed responses. Listen actively and follow up with probing questions to dig deeper into their experiences and thought processes.
Balancing the Conversation
Interviews should be a two-way street. If you’re interviewing a strong candidate, they’ve likely got other roles they’re considering, so take this time to make the role, the team, and the business shine.
Allow candidates time to ask questions. This will give them a better understanding of the role and your company and show that you value their input. Be prepared to answer their questions honestly and provide insight into your company culture and expectations.
Taking Notes and Being Observant
While it’s important to maintain eye contact and engage with the candidate, taking notes can help you remember key points and compare candidates later. Always pay attention to non-verbal cues, such as body language and tone of voice, which can provide additional insights into their confidence and enthusiasm.
Improving Through Reflection
After the interview, reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Gathering feedback from colleagues involved in the interviews can provide valuable perspectives and help refine your approach for future interviews.
Try to agree on timelines and stick to them where possible. Take the time to provide feedback to the candidate and then move to make your offer to the candidate who is best suited to the job and the company.
At Crone Corkill, we work as part of your recruitment team, providing support and expertise to help you attract and retain top talent. We offer more in-depth interviewing training, both virtually and in-person, to your hiring managers. If you’re interested in our services, please fill out the form below for more details.
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