HOW TO ... CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW

A BASIS FOR QUESTIONING

Job interviews are a two-way process and uneasiness is not the sole preserve of the candidate. Clare Dight outlines a ten-point plan to ensure that the interviewer asks all the right questions

VOLTAIRE once said: “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers” but I’d put that to the back of your mind if I were you. The last thing you need is the pressure of expectation when you’re conducting your first interview. The smiling candidate sitting opposite, hanging on your every word, can perform that function very nicely, thank you for coming. But it needn’t feel like the first night of your very own one-man show.

1. Do your homework. As always, in the grown-up world of work, swotting up is vital. Review the job description to focus your mind on the abilities you’re looking for, then go over the CVs spread out in front of you. Write out a series of questions that you will put to every candidate based on the requirements of the role. The list will keep you on track, and more importantly, bring consistency to the process.

2. Think about first impressions. Yours, not theirs. Don’t tower over someone from behind a desk, or run out of the room to answer your mobile — switch it off. Find a quiet room, schedule the interview into your diary and have a glass of water or, even better, offer tea or coffee and biscuits to break the ice.

3. Use your social skills. An interview should be a memorable meeting of two minds. The onus is on you to impress as much as it is the candidate — after all, you might actually want the person to work for you. Charm, a warm smile and a firm handshake are the best place to start. Judging a person by their shoes is not.

4. Ask probing questions. You don’t have to be as masterful as Jeremy Paxman to give a good interview but don’t be bamboozled by good hair, shared jokes or slick responses. “Ask for examples of the work the candidate has done. It’s the best way to tell if the person is being truthful. People tend to embellish at interviews,” says Paul Taylor, the managing director of IT at Hudson, a recruitment and HR consultancy.

5. Listen to the answers. “Listen twice as much as you talk,” says Taylor as a golden rule. “People generally love to talk about themselves.”

6. Don’t be a creep. Certain questions are legally off limits and will land you in the uneasy chair at an employment tribunal. That’s also the time when you’ll regret having doodled your every thought and feeling on headed paper. Confine written records to professional statements about the selection process itself.

7. Call in the experts. If the role demands skill in an area outside your own expertise, set up a second interview and call in a colleague to spot the difference between knowledge and hot air.

8. It’s not all about you. Voltaire was right: the questions the candidate asks can reveal their priorities and motivation. Is it team structure that concerns them, or pay and benefits? A good candidate will show off their in-depth background research and not just ask self-serving questions. Don’t switch off; and know the answers.

9. Sell the job. “There’s a fine balance between finding out about the person and fitting them to the job. Flesh out the duties, and explain what your expectations in terms of output will be. Find out what the candidate’s requirements are and see if they match up,” Taylor says.

10. “Don’t call us ...” Politely bring the interview to a close by letting them know when they might expect a call or letter to inform them of your decision — and stick to it.

FIND OUT MORE
Know thy quarry. There are scores of books on how to sell yourself into a job. A quick flick through Where’s My Oasis? The Essential Handbook for Everyone Wanting That Perfect Job, by Rowan Manahan (Vermillion, £12.99) will give you some idea of what your interviewees will be expecting.

Look up the Equal Opportunities Commission’s checklist on the do’s and don’ts of selection and recruitment: www.eoc.org.uk/EOCeng/dynpages/EqualityChecklist.asp

What’s the difference between a criterion-based or competency-based interview? There are no punchlines but some good insights in Effective Interviewing: A Handbook of Skills and Techniques, by Robert Edenborough (Kogan Page, £14.99)

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