“Work it harder, Make it better, Do it faster, Makes us stronger.”- Daft Punk- Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Knowing how to interview someone for a job is a business-critical skill that allows you to match employees closely to the values of the company.
A company’s core values determine its culture. Employees will identify with values and culture when deciding whether it is the right company for them. The way you present yourself will also reflect these values and the interviewee will pick up on your body language and verbal cues. One of the key objectives of any interview is to represent your organisation in the best possible light.
The last thing you want is for an interviewee to have a negative experience. Some companies may not have published their values. If this is the case, you could draw on your experience to prepare. Consider positive qualities around collaborating, integrity, innovation and developing people. These areas are always high on an interviewee’s wish list. As an interviewer, you have a key responsibility in selecting the best person for the role and they will need to integrate smoothly into the organisation. This requires a well-planned and executed interview approach.
“I’m in love with the shape of you.”- Ed Sheeran- Shape Of You
The Office for National Statistics indicates an expansion in employment rate from November 2022 to January 2023 in contrast to three months prior from August to October 2022. When UK Employees look for jobs, 64% do background research on the organisation before they apply. In addition to this, they evaluate three crucial bits of information: 48% of people consider how easy a job is to travel to, 47% of people have work-life considerations and 35% of people consider a company’s lifestyle. So any interviewer should be prepared to answer questions about the shape of the organisation when it comes to work-life balance, lifestyle or culture and accessibility.
“It’s the eye of the tiger, It’s the thrill of the fight, Rising up to the challenge of our rival.”- Survivor- Eye Of The Tiger
Applying a structured interview strategy to the planning stage of the interview process is an effective method of interviewing someone for a job because the purpose and direction will be clear from the outset. A structured interview is a way of analysing how capable an interviewee is in the role for which they are applying. Consistency of approach when interviewing many people for a job makes the evaluation easier. Applying the same list of questions and differentiating each candidate against a similar criterion provides objectivity to the process.
Structured and prepared questions can eradicate confirmation bias because each interviewee will be required to answer similar open-ended questions and be evaluated through a similar routine. Furthermore, it is important for interviewees to be evaluated objectively rather than through ‘feelings’ as this ensures that an employer makes more data-oriented hiring choices. Asking structured questions allows precision and focus on the skills needed for the role and they will outline whether a candidate has a particular strength or weakness that will affect how they carry out the daily tasks and their likely productivity.
Having the foundation of a well-executed job interview in place benefits managers and other stakeholders because planned interviews are efficient, effective and timely.
“I want one moment in time, When I’m more than I thought I could be, When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away, And the answers are all up to me.”- Whitney Houston- One Moment In Time
You should always plan your interview as this will benefit both you and the candidate. You should prepare a variety of qualifications and key responsibilities for the job role and seek advice from a manager or a supervisor so that you develop a greater understanding of what they are looking for. In the planning phase, you should be creating a series of questions you want to ask during the interview. You should be ensuring that any question asked during the interviewing process provides the candidates with opportunities to explain their qualifications in more detail and encourage a more insightful perspective on whether a candidate fits the job description. In addition to this, you should be reviewing a candidate’s resume. Outline anything that you would like them to expand upon before you start the interview process.
“When the sharpest words wanna cut me down, I’m gonna send a flood gonna drown them out, I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I’m meant to be, this is me.”- The Greatest Showman- This is me
Researching a candidate’s social media gives you a greater understanding of who they are. The employee will appreciate this and also this will have a positive effect on your company. Ensure that you deliver a motivational interview. This could include a strong pitch for your organisation and displays a strong understanding of your organisation’s goals and culture so that you know what to say to a candidate.
“Like we’re made of STARlight, STARlight.”- Taylor Swift- Starlight
When interviewing someone for a job, apply the STAR format during the interviewing process. ‘Situation, Task, Action, Result’ is the key structure that all candidates should be incorporating into their answers to questions. The situation outlines where they were and when it was and in relation to a situation they recall in their example. The task should illustrate what problems they faced that needed addressing. The action should demonstrate how they faced a challenge and why they did what they did. The result should encapsulate the outcomes and repercussions of their’s and their colleague’s response to this.
“A year has passed since I wrote my note, I should have known this right from the start.” – The Police- Message In A Bottle
When interviewing someone for a job you should be making notes on each of the candidate’s answers. If you are interviewing more than one candidate, notes will support you in remembering each interview you managed. Alternatively, you can make notes after an interview. Having notes can act as a source when differentiating one candidate from another when making hiring choices. When considering employees for a job position, be aware that candidates can exaggerate their involvement in their previous jobs. When asking questions, make sure you receive as many details as you can and talk about this later in the interviewing process. This will help with assisting you in ensuring their reliability. If they are fabricating their example, they will forget the information they gave you at an earlier stage in the interview process.
“It’s not about the money, money, money, We don’t need your money, money, money.”- Jessie J- Price Tag
Making sure that you talk about the salary of a particular job can be beneficial for a candidate, as they make the important decision as to whether or not to join your organisation. Ensure that you are on the same page with candidates with regard to the job’s salary. Also, make sure you question them on what their salary prospects are. If a candidate is aiming for more than what you are offering, they may look for opportunities somewhere else.
“The storms are raging on the rolling sea, And on the highway of regret, The winds of change are blowing wild and free, You ain’t seen nothing like me yet.” – Bob Dylan- To Make You Feel My Love
During the interviewing process, you should make a request about any short-term roles candidates had that lasted less than 2 years. This could highlight to an employer, significant issues from a commitment perspective. In the interview, you should expand on why a candidate left their job. The candidate may open up about the problems that they faced. If the problems they faced during their previous job match the job description, they will not be suitable candidates to progress in the application process.
“But I see your true colour, Shining through, I see your true colours, And that’s why I love you.” – Cyndi Lauper- True Colours
As an employer, you should always show compassion. You want your candidates to have a great experience by displaying that you care about them. This approach will make them feel more included whilst maintaining your company’s reputation.
Even if the candidates are unsuccessful in the application for employment, showing compassion will make them feel more optimistic about your organisation and influence them to apply for a future job. You should make the interviews inclusive, ensure that a conversation is maintained, manage your time and provide candidates with the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview and provide them with feedback.
“The greatest thing, You’ll ever learn, Is just to love, And be loved in return.” – Nat King Cole- Nature boy
A feature that makes a good interviewer is understanding the psychology of behaviour to encourage a more honest interviewing process. Before you begin the interview, you should always create small talk with the candidate. Examples of techniques you can apply are offering a glass of water or even providing the candidates with a tour of your facilities. This will make the candidates feel more comfortable around you and be willing to share their own personal insights that relate to the position they are applying for.
It is useful to have strong interpersonal skills as this provides you with insights into someone’s personality and behaviour. When interviewing candidates, you should evaluate them on skills and personal qualities as they relate to the core objectives of the role.
Graduate Coaching
Online resources are easily accessible now. If you are an employer who is looking to develop your interviewing techniques, the internet can provide you with professional development programs such as interview coaching, that incorporates 1-2-1 coaching to improve your understanding of interviews and how they flow. This will achieve greater success in future job application processes.
Conclusion
If you are looking at how to interview someone for a job you need to be the person they want you to be: well-planned, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the company. Interviewees look for pros and cons, so it is crucial that you have prepared answers for any questions that they might have. If interviews are structured you can make an effective analysis on whether a candidate is a suitable fit. A careful amount of planning should go into your interview preparation.
Whether you are focussing on a candidate’s qualifications, the key responsibilities in the job role or even reviewing a candidate’s resume, you should be able to provide them with the opportunity to expand upon this during the interview. Use social media as an interview preparation tool to provide a greater understanding of who someone is and to come across as a relatable interviewer.
The situation, task, action and result format is a great interviewing method on how to interview someone for a job and it indicates how prepared a candidate is, by giving you insights into their past experiences and whether their qualities match with the job criteria. Having notes to refer back to will help you make those reasonable hiring decisions.
You and your interviewee should be able to mutually agree on the job salary and if not then they are not the right candidate for the job role. Candidates that have had frequent short-term job roles could highlight commitment issues in the job role, however, it is important to consider the circumstances before jumping to conclusions. As an employer, you should be able to emulate compassion and empathy as this makes any candidate feel valued. Behavioural psychology is a powerful tool and you should apply it to any interview, to encourage honesty and authenticity from candidates.
Featured image by Sebastian Herrmann
Written by Charlie Blackwood
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