As a business owner or manager interviews are either something you love to do or dread. The interview process is undoubtedly complex, and it can take a while for you to become completely comfortable with it.<\/p>\n
The key to nailing an interview is to keep your eye on the prize \u2013 which in this case is the perfect employee for the job role you\u2019ve advertised. Providing a relaxed but professional environment will ensure your interviewee has the best fighting chance at showing off their skills.<\/p>\n
Do you want to improve your interview techniques and cut down the time and energy needed to find the best candidate? Follow our steps for conducting a successful job interview.<\/p>\n
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How to interview someone<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Scroll down for more details and advice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Want to boost other managerial skills? Check out NCC\u2019s Online Management Courses<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A rushed interview doesn’t benefit anyone. Set aside a minimum of 30 minutes per interview and keep half an hour clear on either side of each interview to allow you to refresh, review your notes, and focus on the next candidate. As well as being great for the interviewer, being generous with your time will stop the interviewee from feeling rushed, which may cause them to crumble under pressure.<\/p>\n Keeping extra time available is also essential because you don\u2019t know how many additional questions might come up during the interview or what the candidate might want to ask you about the job role and business in general. When scheduling the interview into your calendar, try to be flexible \u2013 your candidate may have to take time away from their current job to attend.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Contrary to what many believe, you won\u2019t just know who the right candidate is when you see them. You should have a solid idea of the kind of person you want to hire. Get together with your team and decide which of the following qualities your candidate should have and what you are willing to let slip:<\/p>\n If your candidate doesn\u2019t tick all the boxes, but their initial CV stands out, make a point to ask questions to fill in these gaps during the interview.<\/p>\n When hiring for a new role, reach out to people within your network who have the same job role. Ask them what kind of skills they would expect to see from a candidate applying for their job; this may help you narrow down your criteria and stay focused.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many hiring managers make the mistake of not taking time to do their homework about their candidates. It is easier than ever before to get to know someone before you meet them and doing your research about the person you are going to interview will cut down on time during your first meeting.<\/p>\n Taking this extra step will help you to form a better idea of who your candidate is before they step through the door and will make them feel that you are eager to learn more about them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you are not good at interviewing intuitively or on the fly, nailing a consistent interview structure to follow will be a complete lifesaver. It will help push a professional image and keep a relaxed, paced flow during the interview process. We find that this structure works:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you are interviewing many people, it would be wise to develop a grading system for candidates. Score each answer to your questions from 1-5 during the interview and total the scores afterward. Give a 1 for a low-quality response and a 5 for a high-quality answer; this may be easier than jotting down notes on what they said.<\/p>\n You should never hire solely based on the final scores, but it will help you to narrow down your choices and will help you to justify your choice to other senior staff members. Make sure you have solid guidelines for your scoring system, e.g. 5 = answered confidently, apparent technical knowledge shown, explained thoroughly. Keep these with you during the interview.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Your interview should be like a conversation rather than following a repetitive Question and Answer structure. You and your candidate are not robots, so let your interview have some breathing space and don’t get thrown if the interview goes off track or you segue into a conversation you weren’t expecting.<\/p>\n Having an unexpected conversation isn’t necessarily bad, but you should know how to get the interview back on track.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are several subjects people may be uncomfortable discussing, and that are irrelevant to how well someone will perform in a job role 99% of the time. When conducting your interviews, you should avoid asking about:<\/p>\n In most circumstances, none of the above will impact someone\u2019s ability to work so there\u2019s no need to bring these points up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It can be all too easy to get lost in a competition between potential candidates over who is the most qualified, who would fit into the company culture, and who showed the best willingness to learn. Sometimes, you need to review the basics and look out for red flags. While interviewing, keep an eye out for:<\/p>\n 1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Attitude \u2013 how are they answering your questions? Do they seem ‘cocky’ or out of line when they respond, even if they get the correct answer?<\/p>\n 2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Avoidance \u2013 do you notice them avoiding questions; this could be a red flag.<\/p>\n 3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Consistency \u2013 are your candidate’s answers consistent with their CV or any other documentation?<\/p>\n 4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Uniqueness \u2013 do their answers sound a bit too “one size fits all”? Look out for interviewees who give you unique answers.<\/p>\n 5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Body language \u2013 if they won’t give you eye contact or shake your hand, and they slouch down in their chair and fidget, they might not be the best candidate for you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Finally, you should always keep your candidates up to date and make sure you give closure to those who were unsuccessful. You don\u2019t have to give feedback but provide it if they ask for it (check with your HR department before doing this).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Make time for each interview<\/strong><\/h2>\n
2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Know what you are looking for<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Learn about your candidate<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Maintain a structure<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Create a solid scoring system<\/strong><\/h2>\n
6)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Have a conversation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
7)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Avoid these questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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8)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Evaluate the basics<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t leave them hanging<\/strong><\/h2>\n