4 Simple Steps to Better Interviews

Four Simple Steps to better interviews!

A White Paper created to improve your interviewing skills!
Karen A. Young, SPHR

Studies show the number one mistake interviewers make is talking too much. The candidate should be speaking about 80% of your time together.

Where do you start?

The best place to start is at the job description because, as you know, all questions you ask must revolve around the candidate’s ability to do the job!

You should have already determined the candidate’s hard skills (what they CAN do) from their resume or application. Now you need to find a way to determine what they WILL do or their “soft skills”. Behavioral Interviewing does just that – by the questions you ask, you can determine an individual’s competencies and strengths. Following are some generally recommended questions to ask. You should also create questions for the specific position as well as these general soft skill questions.

Remember – ask all candidates for the same job the same/similar questions. (Behavioral Interviewing enables you to clarify and probe specifics of an individual’s answers but you want to keep the basis of the interview the same across the search.) Document your comments, positive and negative, immediately following the interview. You’ll be surprised how all the candidates will meld together as you do more recruiting!

Use open ended questions to get the candidate talking. Use closed questions to clarify and probe their answers if/when necessary. They should do about 80% of the talking. You still have a responsibility to “sell” the organization but take the time NOW to really get to know the candidate!

Now, one last word of advice – RELAX. Your candidate is nervous too – there’s no harm in letting them know that YOU are nervous; in fact, that’s a good way to break the ice. You are just having a conversation about your professional likes and dislikes. (They get to do most of the talking so that should help set you at ease as well!)

Step One: Open the Interview

Use one or two “ice breakers” – how was your trip…did you have any trouble finding the meeting site…can I get you something to drink…

Stay away from – how’s your family, interesting tattoo, I see you’re wearing a cross…

Explain the format: we’re just going to have a conversation about our needs and your abilities. Please think of it just as a professional discussion among colleagues. After that, you’ll have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have and then we’ll close with a discussion of the next steps.

Then, move into your first prepared question…

Step Two: Ask Predetermined Questions

After reviewing the job description, you should have determined the competencies (or soft skills) that will be necessary for success in the position. Formulate your interview questions to best get at these traits and characteristics. You need to be sure to ask all candidates the same question. Granted, each candidate will answer differently (you hope!) and you’ll be probing deeper into their answers. But in order to demonstrate that your interview process was unbiased, you need to have the same format/questions for each candidate.

Some of my favorite questions:

• Tell me about your last work assignment. What did you like most/least? Why?
o Listen for the detail/lack of detail they provide
o Are they talking in chronological order
• What was your favorite/least favorite work assignment? Why?
o Demonstrates what will/will not motivate them
• How would your coworker’s describe you
o Describes how THEY think others see them
• What did your supervisor recommend you improve upon? Did you agree?
o Can they acknowledge weakness in a positive manner
• If you could create the ideal work environment/job/boss…what would it look like...?
o Is this a match for what you offer
• Why did you choose your profession?
o What thought process went into their decision
• What do you believe is the most valuable lesson you have learned in at work?
o Will show what is valuable to them
• Tell me about a time when you made a mistake on a project/assignment.
o Again, can they turn this into a positive…did they use common sense/good judgment in working through the problem
• Describe your proudest work accomplishment.
o Again, what motivates them
• You’ve seen the job description (assuming they have). Why are you qualified for this job?
o Where do they see the fit
• How do you define work ethic?
o Run fast if they ask what work ethic means!

Step Three: Their questions

Be prepared for almost anything including the “I really don’t have any right now.” Offer your business card and open the door for them to contact you in the next day or so if they think of anything. If they ask a question that you don’t have an answer to, tell them the truth – we haven’t considered that…I’ll let you know…

Avoid pay and benefit questions by simply stating it’s too soon in the process to discuss that topic but you will certainly be fair should you make an offer.

Step Four: Closing the interview

Remember to let them know the next step, whatever that may be. Immediately after the candidate leaves, be sure to document your thoughts (job related) with supporting information. For example: the candidate was not well organized – he dropped his resume on the floor and skipped around when discussing his professional experience.

Hopefully, these four steps will enable you to become a more relaxed interviewer!

It simply isn’t possible to be an expert in every area of your business – find the right expert to partner with you: those that are successful in their own businesses and those that want to see YOUR success right alongside their own!