An interview is a very unreliable method used for making big decisions. Usually, for an hour a prospective candidate is bombarded with questions and whilst candidates try their best to make a favourable impression, recruiters are making up their minds on whether the person in front of them is the right person for the job. This article aims to give recruiters a few tips and some ideas on how to approach an interview.
The interview is but one data point in a recruitment process. Other data points are: The CV, social media profile, reference checks as well as, if at all possible, psychometric tests and competence assessments. Competence assessments should be considered, if at all possible. For example, if you are recruiting an Instrumentation Technician, the candidate’s performance on solving problems on a simulated instrumentation panel is a better predictor of success than how well the person performs during an interview. The interview serves to give more information, clarify aspects and also serves to give both recruiters and the candidate a feel for the culture fit; how likely the person is to fit into the organization.
The starting point for an interview should always be the job requirements. These requirements, describing what is critical to do the job, should be guiding the interview questions throughout the interview. No questions should be asked, not even before or after the formal interview, not aimed at clarifying some aspect of the job the person is considered for. Make sure that the requirements listed are really what is required for the candidate to be successful in the position.
In preparing for an interview, consider questions which would clarify candidate’s likely ability to fulfil the requirements of the job. The main questions should as far as possible be the same for all the candidates to ensure fairness. Each candidate should have an equal opportunity to ensure a fair selection process.
The aim of the interview is to select the right candidate for the job, not just the best candidate on the shortlist; you do not want the best of a bad bunch!
After initial applications were received, a screening process should exclude candidates who do not comply to minimum requirements. Only the best candidates who do comply with minimum requirements of the position should be interviewed. The aim of the interview is to select the right candidate for the job, not just the best candidate on the shortlist; you do not want the best of a bad bunch! Candidates should thus be compared to the job requirements rather than to each other.
Three main aspects should be evaluated during the interview: i) Ability/competence to do the job ii) Motivation to do the job and iii) Person-job fit. These should be probed in the interview, as the CV is unlikely to provide a clear picture on all of these.
- Ability/competence refers to the candidate’s skill and abilities to do the job. The simple question is: Can the person do the job? This aspect refers to base qualification and registration, and also aspects such as required interpersonal skills, leadership skills, creative problem solving and knowledge.
- Motivation refers to the candidate’s long term drive to keep doing the job. Understanding the candidate’s values, needs and what the person derives purpose from give some indication of whether the candidate really wants to do the job.
- Person-job fit refers to how well the candidate would fit into the position. Aspects such as personality are key indicators. The question here is how well the candidate would fit the job. For example, a candidate who is timid, shy and sensitive is unlikely to fit well into a tough, hard-selling job just as an outgoing, gregarious people-person is unlikely to fit into an isolated quality check job in a laboratory. How well the person fit into the organization’s culture and ways of doing things should also be considered.
The recruiter’s task during the interview is to collect information on the above. The assumption should always be that candidates have the right to present themselves in the most favourable light possible. It is the task of the recruiter to uncover aspects which the candidate might hide or “soften” because it is viewed as less favourable. The skilled recruiter uses questions, listening and probing to be able to predict whether the candidate is likely to be successful in the position.
Most questions should be ‘open ended’ to gain maximum information rather than ‘closed questions’ which have a yes/no answer. Examples of open-ended questions: “Explain to us how you handled an unfair manager” or “Tell us about accomplishments in your last position”. An example of a closed, leading question, unlikely to give more information: “Did you have a good relationship with your last manager?”
As past successes are excellent predictors for future success, ask for details of past achievements and probe to ensure successes are not exaggerated. Ask for evidence from previous positions or real situations to illustrate the candidate’s claims. Do clarify the candidate’s exact role and contribution in the success of a team or project.
It is always best to have more than one person conduct an interview. One is then able to observe whilst the other asks questions. Everyone of us have some biases which might at times influence our judgement. Having more interviewers do counter biases.
Interviewing is an important competence which, like most complex skills, requires practice, training and feedback to develop.
