At Work Tree we really enjoy interviewing people for roles. Whilst within specialisms there are going to be similarities between people’s skill-sets , I think it is true to say that people are more often surprising than predictable. It is the job of the interviewer to try and draw out the person they are questioning to build a full picture of them. After all a picture of the whole person is vital in an age where employers’ increasingly acknowledge that cultural fit is as important as the skills to perform the tasks.
I am not looking to provide full interview training here, or even stray into the territory of discussing structuring an interview to improve your chances of getting good data, instead I just want to pass on a few hints that I always try and keep in mind when interviewing.
1.
Spend time at the beginning of the interview explaining the process to the
interviewee. This will give them a chance to settle. Tell them the plan for the
interview and in what order you intend to do things. Highlight when
you will give them an opportunity to ask you questions. This can help keep the
interview on track.
2.
Be courteous.
Make sure they are comfortable, do they need a drink of water, did anyone
show them where the cloakroom was on arrival. Apart from this simply showing
you have good manners, you will help give them the impression that the company
is a good place to work. Their comfort will also help ensure you get the
best out of them in the interview.
3.
Never be afraid of
silence. If you don’t feel confident giving a job interview it is very tempting
to rush onto the next question to fill the uncomfortable space. Allowing your
interviewee space to answer the question, including a long pause if necessary
often means you get closer to the essence you are seeking. Remember it will
take restraint for them not to fill the silence and it is information from them
you need.
4.
Be generous with the
information you give about the job and the organisation; an interview is a
great opportunity for you to explain what a great place your organisation is to
work in. It also illustrates your empathy with the individual as
a job move is a big decision. Be wary though, of where in the process you place
this generosity. Canny interviewees can be known to try and skew their answers
in an effort to prove a match if you give away too much information before you
have asked any questions. My favoured approach is a brief introduction to the
company and the job at the beginning which says little other than they should
already know. There is nothing wrong with a minute or two of repetition at the
beginning as it will set the scene for the interviewee and show consistency.
This means allowing time after you have questioned them to answer any questions
they have and tell them anything else you think they might want to know.
5.
Round up the interview
by explaining what they can expect to happen next. Set a time frame for when
they will hear the outcome of the interview and explain if there will be other
stages in the recruitment process, for example further interviews or testing.
Be slightly generous with the time estimates allowing yourself a buffer for
unexpected events as it is always better to get back to someone sooner than a
self-imposed deadline than later.
Source: Worktree
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for the comment we will back to you soon.