How to Interview a Potential Job Candidate

Interviewing is a very important technique as it gauges the abilities of a candidate. An interview helps the concerned authority to take the right decision of selection or rejection of the respective candidate, as the case may be. It is the best way of understanding a complicated situation from the perspective of another person.

It is very important that you choose the right form of interview. You can go for face-to-face interview or use a telephone interview style if you wish.

Confirm the date and venue of interview to the candidate. A reminder of the same is always better because any miscommunication can lead to unnecessary hassles.

Avoid group interviews. An interview ideally is a one-to-one situation but many interviewers like to have a colleague in on the interview. This can be avoided if you are confident about yourself and third party involvement is not the prime requirement of the interview session.

Always prepare and research in advance of the interview. Whatever questions you wish to ask the respective candidate you must have substantial knowledge on. You don’t need to prepare a list of questions but you must concise and cover what you require during the session.

You can begin the interview by introducing yourself to the interviewee. Be polite to the candidate and avoid rude tone. Ensure the respective person is comfortable in your company. It can be easy to forget when you’re having a busy day of interviewing, but first impressions from you and your company are important also.

Allow the interview to be natural. You can always discuss any subject that is of common interest to both of you. This will help you to know the person better and ease the tension in the room.

Always listen carefully to the candidate. You can often pick up a word or a phrase in an answer which you can play back to the interviewee. This is one of the ways by which you can get something much more interesting or honest than expected. Interviews are not scripted questions and answers, they are serious professional conversations and hence you need to concentrate.

Try to focus on what you need. Ensure you do not get diverted from the main subject. Often people either people get absorbed in details or begin to talk too much about a certain subject. Sometimes you must re direct the interview if you feel the focus is fading.

You have to be patient, don’t lose your control. You don’t need to be bossy but it is vital that you get what you need from the interview and you manoeuvre it in the direction you want to go.

Using these tips you should be able to achieve exactly what you require from an interview. I hope that you find the right person for the job!