Top Interview Secrets Of The Experts
Have you ever had the experience of employing someone who you just loved when you interviewed them
, only to face future disappointment when they turned out not to be the person you thought they were
This is what I call interview infatuation and I coined the term because Ive seen it happen so often I thought it needed a name.
Interview infatuation often happens because recruitment is not your main job it can be daunting task. Even if you have a robust process for recruitment, interviewing candidates can have you feeling anxious and confused.
Part of the problem is that candidates are often a lot better prepared that you. Dozens of websites provide sample interview questions and recommended responses. Your average candidate may also be more motivated than you are to perform well.
How do you shift the balance back to being in you favour
By putting into practice just a few things that experienced interviewers do as a matter of course
1.Prepare
2.Ask behavioural questions
3.Be consistent
Most candidates come into interviews well-prepared and youre at a disadvantage if youre not equally well-prepared.
A quick scan of the candidates resume and drafting a few questions related to it does not count as preparation. Preparing thoroughly involves
Revisiting the requirements for the role, especially the essential (must have) and desirable (can live without) criteria
Writing an interview plan that sets out the steps you will go through in the interview, including introductions, questions and closing
Studying the resume, specifically looking for gaps, inflated titles and anything else that doesnt add up.
Reviewing any additional information such as pre-employment assessments
Choosing a suitable time and location where you will have privacy and not be interrupted.
As part of your preparation, write behavioural questions that are relevant to being successful in this role. Behavioural questions matter because past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour. Anyone can guess the correct answer to questions such as What are your strengths
Examples of all-purpose behavioural questions are
Tell me about a time when you have had to deal with a difficult client or co-worker
Can you give me an example of a project you have managed
Was there a time when you were under pressure to deliver an outcome in a tight time frame
With each of these questions, follow up with more probing
What did you do
What went right
What went wrong
What would you do differently if you did it again
These questions are looking beyond the standard answers the candidate may have prepared. What youre seeking to understand is not just the good stuff but how they handle situations when things go pear shaped. You will also get an insight into their thought processes as they describe what they learnt (or didnt) from the experience.
When recruiting, you are often comparing candidates with diverse strengths. To do this effectively, its recommended that you consistently ask the same questions to all candidates. Naturally, you will ask some different questions as you explore each candidates suitability but your basic structure and behavioural question should be the same for everyone. By doing this you will find it much easier to rank candidates according to the essential and desirable criteria for the role.
A simple table of scores for each can help your final decision.
One final point that wasnt on my original list Dont feel like you have to do this alone. I always recommend to my clients that they get someone whose judgement they trust to help them interview. Their insight could prove valuable.
Having someone else at the interview may not be feasible for you. In that case, you can still gain help by accessing the many resources available online.
Preparing, incisive questioning and consistency will improve your hit-rate at interviews. You may also find it enhances you reputation as an employer.
by: Susan Rochester
Spoken Word IIcon e.g. bailey Interviewed By Dwight Hobbes Three Interviewing Mistakes - And How To Avoid Them How To Handle Tough Competency Interview Questions Common Interview Questions - Grab Accurate Answers Yaro Starak Interviews Tyrone Shum About His Journey To Success Interview Horror: The Day I Broke Wind in My Interview And Still Got the Job Interview with Tarik Sultan - Middle Eastern Dance Expert , NYC USA Interview With Maha Al Musa - Author of Dance of the Womb Regina Marie Williams Interviewed by Dwight Hobbes Discover The Good Interview Signs Interviews and YOU!!! Interview with Lorraine Spence; Tygerberg Zoo, Endangered Wildlife Breeding Centre How To Avoid The Deadly Weakness Interview