We’ve provided a swathe of interview advice for job seekers in the past, but the people doing the hiring need to brush up on their interview skills as well. Professional recruitment firm Hays has a few pearls of wisdom to share with interviewers.
Interview picture from Shutterstock
“Good interview technique is not just the candidate’s responsibility,” Hays managing director for Australia and New Zealand Nick Deligiannis said. “Managers also need to develop their skills in order to secure the best person for the job.”
A poorly managed interview process could give your company a bad rap so it’s in your best interest to ensure job applications, whether they land the job or not, leave the interview with a good impression of your business.
“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,” Deligiannis said. “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.”
He has a few pieces of advice for interviewers:
- Add a human touch: Avoid using scripts. Any pre-fabricated questions should only serve to guide you through the interview so don’t read it word for word. You’re not a robot.
- Prepare: “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,” Deligiannis said.
- Build rapport: You can do this by asking a few casual introductory questions to put your candidates at ease.
- Look beyond technical skills: A candidate’s resume will not provide you with enough information to determine how well they will fit into your organisation. While technical skills are important, cultural fit should not be overlooked when you interview applicants.
- Is it legal?: “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,” advised Deligiannis.
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