Everyone has experience sitting on the other side of the desk during job interviews - as in, a hiring manager is asking you questions. It can be rough and soul-crushing at times, but ultimately you do your best and move on whether you get the job or not.
But what happens when you become the one asking the questions? Let's say you've recently become a first-time manager and how you need to interview job candidates to fill an opening in your department. Suddenly, you're a thousands times more nervous sitting on this side of the desk.
After all, when you were the one being interviewed, the worst thing that could happen was you'd botch it up and not get the job. But now, as your company representative, you're navigating a legal minefield about what you can and can't ask a candidate, as well as interpreting the answers to hire the best person for the job.
So for those of you who either haven't done an interview yet or want to feel more comfortable doing it, here are some proven tips everyone can use:
Have A Plan! (ALL CAPS on purpose)
If you take only one thing from this article, please let it be this. While some hiring managers take the approach of "winging it" during the interviews, I guarantee you that they make the worst hires in their organizations. Take pride in your job and be prepared.
First and foremost, the candidates coming into your office are going to be prepared, so you must be equally ready for the interview. Not only are you looking for a suitable candidate to fill the job opening, but the interviewee is determining whether they want to work for you. If you haven't done your homework, his sends a message to the future employee that you really don't invest that much in your people. On the first impression, you must make sure you come across as professional and prepared.
1. Review the job description
The first thing to do before an interview is to review the current job description. Think of it as your destination; this is what you are looking to hire. The job description helps us frame the actual job openings that we advertise. It factors into how we evaluate the candidates and what we are looking for from them.
The first point is assuming your job descriptions are up to date, so if they aren't, fix them.
2. Describe the company culture
Does the job description identify the unique aspects of your corporate and departmental culture? What external factors will likely impact a candidate's ultimate success or failure on the job?
When push come to shove, most people end up leaving jobs not because of a skills mismatch, but because of people and the interaction. Particularly, how they get along with their immediate supervisors or when expectations aren't laid out clearly upfront.
Today, organizations are far more global and geographically diverse, and employees may report to someone who lives in a different part of the country or the world. How comfortable are you and the applicant with off-site management or teams? That factor is going to become more and more critical as the typical workplace continues to change.
After factoring in everything as an organization, develop your interview questions so you can determine how the job candidate can be effective in the company. Hone in on these key success factors to determine a good match.
3. Vetting the candidate
Before the interview takes place, you'll also want to vet the candidate. Compare the job description and the candidate's resume and check off whether this person appears to have the requisite skillset. Remember that the person's resume is not to be viewed as everything they may be able to do. Prepare questions based on what you see on the resume and the position itself. Think of the resume as a jumping off point.
Look at your own corporate policies with respect to reviewing a job candidate's online presence. Do you, as a corporation, do Google searchers? Do you investigate social media? If you have an internal policy, make sure everyone who is conducting interviews on your behalf is aware of that corporate policy. This is critical because you also have to manage privacy issues and steer clear of topics that you can't bring up in an interview.
Another consequence of vetting the candidate is that you may find out that there are certain skill sets that they have that are not as familiar with. If it is unique, such as a technical specialty, you may have to do your own internet research to ensure you can ask them questions about these skills. You want them to understand that you are taking the time to invest in them as well. If this is a good match, you don't want them to decline and go somewhere that they feel appreciates and values their skills more.
4. Avoiding illegal interview questions
Before the interview, you'll also want to understand legal interview techniques of what's allowed, what's not allowed, what questions you can ask, and what you can't. The laws are always changing, so you will need to be on top of them. For example, can you ask if somebody has been arrested or convicted of a crime? Years ago, you could ask if somebody had been convicted of a crime, but you could not ask if they had been arrested because an arrest does not necessarily lead to a conviction.
However, the laws changed in some states, municipalities, counties and cities, and with respect to these questions, you'll want to make sure that you are current on all relevant laws that apply in your area.
5. Reviewing your skills as a interviewer
Shifting gears, let's look at how well you know yourself to help you understand your strengths and weaknesses as an interviewer. Your personality type and how you come across to other people impacts how you perceive people's answers. Additionally, it impacts a person's perception of you and their willingness to share information with you.
You need to understand your personality, your communication style, and this communication style of the team or department that this potential new hire is going to be working with. Ultimately, the soft skills and candidate's ability to mesh with the new team is going to be a critical factor when hiring this person.
Types of interview questions that work
One characteristic of successful interviewers is they can ask the same key question in multiple ways. Occasionally, when you ask a question, you'll receive a blank look or an apparent inability to specifically understand your question. You need to rephrase the question so that the other person you are interviewing understands the question and what you are trying to achieve.
Therefore, as part of your preparation, have some alternative questions ready, especially if it is a difficult one. Think about how else you might ask the question so the person understands what you are looking for.
Also, have follow-up questions ready. Once they answer your initial question, you often can elicit more information from a smart follow-up question. Your job candidate will be coming in prepared and will have studied the likeliest questions you are going to ask. In many cases, when you ask some basic questions, your interviewee will have their answer prepared ahead of time, and what you are hearing is their pre-rehearsed answer to that question.
If you stop there, you are not getting a spontaneous analysis or seeing how they process information. Your follow-up questions will move away from the canned answer into an area where they must come up with an answer immediately. It's generally a lot more insightful.
Don't get cute with your questions
However, don't ask nonsensical questions, like "If you were an animal, what kind would you want to be, and why?" Some people have argued that that's an effective way to kind of see how they respond when put on the spot. I think that is a load of...um...hooey. I have another more descriptive word to use instead of "hooey", but this article is rated PG.
If you have a viable candidate, stop and look at those kinds of questions from the candidate's vantage point. What would you think about your organization if someone asks you as a professional, "What kind of animal would you like to be?" It doesn't reflect well on the organization, and it means you are less likely to want to come and work for them.
If you are new to the hiring and interview process, keep in mind that no one is perfect in the beginning. After each interview, ask yourself what you felt comfortable with and what do you think you did exceptionally well? Also, what felt less comfortable for you? Then, use what you've learned for your next interview and over time, you'll be able to easily spot the best candidate for your open positions.
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