How to Interview Potential Job Candidates

Interviewing potential job candidates is the first step to building a competent, effective and efficient staff. While the process may be time consuming, spending the necessary time and energy to seek out, interview and recruit desirable job candidates saves you a lot of time, energy, money and headaches in the long run.

Instructions

1. Prepare for the interview. Review each employee's history and develop specific questions about prior work experience, employers and job duties that are relevant to each applicant's job history. If a background check or preliminary testing is required for the position, complete these tasks before scheduling the interview.

2. Put the candidate at ease. Open the interview with small talk. Ask the interviewee easy questions about themselves. Offer the candidate water and make sure she is comfortable. Remember that you are responsible for setting and maintaining the tone of the interview.

3. Provide information about the job to each candidate. Distribute informational literature about the company. Prepare a job description before the interview and offer one to the interviewee as you discuss the functions of the position.

4. Ask open-ended questions. Ask questions that discern desirable behavioral traits that have been demonstrated and established by a candidate in his past work experience.

5. Maintain control of the interview. If the candidate is taking too long to answer a question or begins to wander off subject, politely cut them off and re-direct the interview in the direction you want it to go.

6. Take notes on candidate responses. This allows you to easily recall each candidate during the selection process.

7. Close the interview by allowing candidate to ask questions. Give a time frame in which you expect to make a hiring decision. Give each candidate your contact information in case any questions arise before the decision is made.

Tips & Warnings

• Never be judgmental or stereotype the candidate.

• Avoid asking leading questions.