When you hire a new employee, you cannot be one hundred percent sure that you are making the right choice. However, if you are well-trained at conducting thorough pre-employment interviews, you can increase the chances of choosing someone who will be beneficial to your company.
One of the most important things you can do while interviewing a prospective employee, is to make them comfortable with you. Your prospect wants the job, and will likely want to impress you. Many will be nervous, even intimidated. In order to get this person to open up to you, so that you can get a glimpse of who they really are, they must feel at ease. Be friendly, smile, make eye-contact, even offer them a drink. Make sure that you have allotted enough time for a thorough interview, so they do not feel rushed. Make small-talk for the first few minutes, and then begin the interview.
Always avoid simple yes or no questions. Ask open-ended questions, to get them talking. This gives you a better idea of the kind of person you’re interviewing. Never ask questions that have one obvious right answer. This makes it too easy, and most people will say what they believe you want to hear. There are several types of interview questions to familiarize yourself with. Make a list, and refresh your memory often.
Behavioral questions are one of the most important types of questions to ask. Ask the prospect to tell you about difficult situations that they have encountered on the job, and how they responded. Also ask questions to help you decide if this person will fit in with the cultural atmosphere of your company. This could include, asking if they feel it is a good idea for co-workers to become friends outside of work, what they expect from their supervisor, and if they prefer teamwork or working alone. Rate their interpersonal skills, by asking how they handle working with someone they do not like, and how they think past co-workers might describe them. It’s imperative to assess motivation in any potential employee. Asking questions about hobbies is a good way to start. Motivated people usually have activities outside of work. Also, have them describe projects they’ve worked on, and how their involvement affected the outcome.
Pay close attention, not only to the verbal responses of the person you’re interviewing, but their nonverbal communication. They should be neat in appearance, and appropriately dressed for the position they seek. Good posture, and eye contact, indicate confidence. Someone who avoids looking at you, and is fidgety, is often unsure of themselves, or even dishonest.
The cost of training new employees is high. Companies with frequent staff turn-over are losing money. Not only that, but because you spend so much time at work, it is important to choose the right people to surround yourself with. These are the people who will make your job either easier or more difficult. It is worth investing your time and effort, to learn how to interview someone properly. Following these guidelines will ensure that you are off to a good start, towards building the right team for your company.
If you need any help with recruiting, contact us.
