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Recruitment interviewing |
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What’s the job (the Job |
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Purpose and Content. What the job is for; activities; tasks; responsibilities; priorities. |
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Standards of performance. |
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Relationships. Who the successful applicant will work with, inside and outside the organisation. |
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Working conditions. For example, time away from home. |
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What sort of person |
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Hard characteristics. Qualifications; length of experience; levels of responsibility; particular skills. |
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Soft characteristics. Personality traits; values, preferred ways of working; personal circumstances. |
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Team characteristics. For example, enjoys detail; creative; analytical. |
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Prepare questions |
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Open and Closed. Open questions to get the applicant talking; closed questions to nail down specific facts. |
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Hypothetical. Be careful! Use them to test applicants’ ability to think through options. But to test how they would behave in difficult situations use............. |
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Behavioural questions. Ask for examples of what they have done in similar situations in the past. |
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Set the interview up |
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Plan the structure. Decide the order of subjects. If more than one interviewer, agree who will do what and when. |
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Inform the applicants. Where and when; who they will see; how long it will last; what to bring; where to park; expenses paid; - put yourself in their shoes. |
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The setting. Privacy; no interruptions; comfort; no barriers, such as desks; level eye lines. And be ready! |
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Use a logical structure |
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The opening. Put the applicant at ease (coffee, a little idle chat); explain the structure and timescale. |
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The middle. The order depends on the job, the applicant and your preference. But stick to a logical order. |
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The end. Ask for final questions. Explain precisely what will happen next. Thank the applicant for coming. |
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Control the interview |
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Variety. Vary the type questions you use. Interrupt or use silence and encouraging body language when you have to. |
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Test your impressions by asking for evidence which might contradict them |
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Take notes. Warn applicants that you will be taking notes. Do so at natural break points to avoid distracting them. |
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Decide and follow up |
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Base your decision on the Person Specification. |
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Communicate. Get acceptance before you turn the others down. |
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File your records for at least three months in case of claims of discrimination. |