A job interview requires both candidate and interviewer to be prepared. It is not only for the candidate who has to prepare. Most people admit to brushing up their interview skills before a job interview. But, according to recruiting experts Hays in Hong Kong on their recent release, interviewers themselves also need to hone their skills.
“Good interview technique is not just the candidate’s responsibility,” says Christine Wright, Managing Director of Hays in Asia. “Managers also need to develop their skills in order to secure the best person for the job.”
Interviewing is becoming an increasingly popular method of selecting candidates – 83 per cent of organisations use interviews to select applicants, up from 68 per cent in 2009, according to the UK’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development/Hays Resourcing and Talent Planning 2015 Survey.
With an interview a crucial hiring tool, Christine says interviewers should make sure they conduct it fairly, thoroughly, consistently and competently in order to make a sound decision.
According to Christine, this is all the more important for SMEs. “While large corporates have a HR team to support hiring managers through this process, SMEs need to figure it out on their own. In addition, a new hire often has a much bigger impact on an SME, making it even more crucial to get the interview right.
“Ineptly handled interviews send a damaging message about what it’s like to work at your organisation, deterring talent from applying for jobs in future. On the other hand, a competent and objective recruitment process can be so powerful that even unsuccessful candidates recommend the organisation to others, boosting your brand’s reputation,” she said.
See: 6 Interview Secrets for Truly Learning a Candidate
Here are six advices on how to upskill your interview technique:
Interviewers often stick to the list of guiding questions. Yes, a list of guiding questions is important, but it should be used to steer you through the interview rather than as a cumbersome, form-filling exercise.
Avoid scripts, which are likely to make for a stilted and unnatural interview. That way, you are able to explore areas of real interest.
Think about the competencies most relevant to the role and the questions that will be most valuable to ask so that you can benchmark candidates against one another.
Put your candidate at ease, break down any barriers and make sure you engage in active listening in order to help them put their best foot forward. Ask a few gentle introductory questions to get the candidate warmed up, and give them enough time to answer each one.
Understand your business’ unique values, culture and the type of person who will be aligned to them. Devise questions to determine a candidate’s cultural fit. If you get this wrong, your new hire could have a detrimental impact on internal culture and team morale.
Know what you can and can’t ask in an interview. Seek out the advice of a professional if you need to in order to adhere to legal requirements. Do not open yourself up to accusations of discrimination.
This activity gives you an insight into someone else’s world, and the opportunity to make a positive difference to their life.
See also: Unbiased Interview: How to Make It Realistic
