If you’re new to recruiting and have been appointed to conduct your first job interview for your company, there are a few guidelines you should follow. It‘s essential to learn how to perform an interview properly because an effective one will likely lead you to the best candidate for your company.
During your time with the candidate, you‘ll want to make sure you are helping that person to learn about the organization and, at the same time, getting to know them. It‘s your chance to get clarity on the contents of the resume and to find out how well the candidate responds to your questions.
By having a consistent process for the interviews, it‘s possible to compare several candidates and choose the one that will fill the role best. Here are the six essential steps for conducting your first job interview:
1. Be sure to prepare
The same advice that is given to candidates—prepare for the interview—also applies to the interviewer. Prepare by evaluating the role you need to fill in the company. Think about the needs the position should satisfy for the company, and compare those needs to the expected educational, skills, and experience requirements for the ideal candidate. Organize these requirements into a list and use them to come up with your interview questions.
2. Describe the company and the position to the interviewee
Begin the interview by introducing yourself and discussing the job. Provide a brief background of the organization and explain how the position fits into its objectives and goals. The candidate should now have a better understanding of the expectations and responsibilities of the job.
3. Explain the process of the interview
Let the interviewee know what to expect during the interview, how long it typically takes, and whether there will be work-related tasks to complete.
4. Find out about the candidate‘s career goals
It‘s useful to understand the person‘s career goals before getting into role-specific interview questions. Ask general questions about their professional interests to get a clearer understanding of their expectations for professional development and promotions. It can also help you determine their grasp of the company and the position.
5. Ask questions related to the position
After you understand the interviewee‘s career goals, you can start asking questions specific to the job. It helps to have a list of questions ready. If you are interviewing several candidates, it‘s useful to devise a rating system to compare candidates‘ answers.
6. Solicit questions from the candidate
Give each interviewee time to ask questions about the job or the company. It gives them a chance to assess the position and you an opportunity to measure their interest and understanding of the company.
Do you need more advice on conducting a job interview?
Give us a call! The Resource has been helping employers for 40 years, and our expert staff is ready to assist you any way we can. That‘s why we‘re one of the top employment agencies in North Carolina.
