How to Conduct a Better Interview

A key component in ensuring a successful recruitment process lies within the interview. Not only does the candidate have to be prepared, but the interviewer must do the same. It’s easy for an interview to become all about the candidate and their answers but the interviewer’s ability to ask the right questions and learn the right information is as important if not more. Knowing beforehand what you want in a candidate and knowing how to discover these things is crucial to a successful hire and fit for your company. Here are 5 simple tips to help you get the most out of your interviews:

1. Know your candidate! Just like they’ve researched your company, you need to research them. Prior to any interview do your homework; read their resume a few times and try to learn as much as you can about their background. Doing this shows that you care about the candidate and allows you to connect with them, creating a comfortable atmosphere.

2. Have a plan. Know exactly what you need to find out about the potential candidate. Don’t rely on the interview to carry itself, which may happen, but be aware of what your goals are and stick to them. Create a list of the questions you plan to ask as a way to identify the intangible skills that you might not be able to evaluate by looking at their resume.

3. Be candid. Nothing good can come of keeping things about the position from the candidate. Saying there’s a ‘decent amount’ of travel vs. 75% travel might make a big difference in the candidate’s interest or availability for the position. This will benefit both parties because there will be no surprises later on.

4. Treat the interview as a conversation.  An interview is not a one-way street, it should be a conversation where both parties share valuable information with each other. Often times, an interview becomes an interrogation with the interviewer asking the candidate questions to intimidate rather than learn more about the candidate.

5. Sell the opportunity to strong candidates. Interviewers too often feel they’re the only one doing the choosing and therefore don’t consider whether the company is being portrayed as an appealing place to work. Strong candidates with the talent you’re looking for will have options and if an interviewer doesn’t sell the opportunity, an offer might not get accepted.

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Visit The Ultimate Guide to Hiring Digital Talent page for more information about how to interview digital candidates!