Tips for interviewing prospective employees

Finding the right candidate for the job can be difficult. Read helpful advice for conducting a productive interview.

Tips for interviewing prospective employees

In some ways, finding the right employee is like making an important purchase for your business. You need to compare several options and determine which one offers what you need at the best value for your money. You’ll need to try to see through sales pitches to get to the real meat of the decision. And it can cost your business a bundle if you make the wrong choice. Knowing how to conduct interviews well can help you make the right decision – whether it’s purchasing or hiring.

Know before you start
A good interview starts with knowing exactly what you’re looking for – again, much like a major purchasing decision. When buying equipment for your business, you start by asking yourself exactly how it will be used and what features are essential. When hiring new employees, you need to figure out exactly what their role will be and what characteristics will make them successful.

A list of technical requirements is only part of the job. Sure, the web developer needs to know CSS, Apache, SSL, and JavaScript – but those are skills that can be easily judged on a resume or in a telephone conversation. Interviews are better suited to judge more general characteristics. Do you want someone who’s energetic and enthusiastic, or focused and steady? Is it more important that you find someone who’s dependable in getting ordinary jobs done, or someone who takes creative approaches to new problems?

If more than one person will interview the candidates, make sure you split up the questions appropriately to avoid redundancy. Let the HR representative ask about career goals and experience, while the hiring manager focuses on technical qualifications and job details.

Get to the specifics
Most candidates will be prepared to answer in broad generalities about their experience and skills. Empty statements like “Well, I’m very proactive when it comes to my work," and "I’m really a team player,” won’t help you make an accurate evaluation. Dig for concrete examples by using phrases like, “Tell me about a time …” and “Give me an example of …” You can also use hypothetical situations for the same ends – describe a particularly challenging situation and ask interviewees how they’d handle it. How the candidate approaches the problem is sometimes as important as the actual answer they give.

Sample interview questions

• “Tell me about a situation where you had to put in extra effort to accomplish your goals. How did you adjust?” – Shows dedication and creativity.
• “Give me an example of a time you were able to successfully work with someone that you didn’t get along with personally.” – Shows the ability to work with others and people skills.
• “In what kind of a work environment do you do your best work?” – Helps you judge the fit for your company.
• “What do you think your priorities would be upon being hired for this position?” – Gauge their understanding of the role, your company, and work style.

Heads up for illegal questions
It’s illegal to ask interview questions about any subject that you can’t legally use as a condition of employment. This includes age, race, gender, religion, martial status, and parental status. In most cases, problems don’t arise during the formal questions – instead, interviewers get into trouble by bringing up these topics during simple friendly chatting. Make sure all employees involved in the interview process are aware of the risky topics.

Get FREE quotes for HR outsourcing from BuyerZone.com

Since 1992, millions of businesses have saved on purchases using BuyerZone's expert advice and Request-for-Quotes service.