Get the most out of candidate interview

Without a doubt, the recruiting process is challenging enough on its own. Once you have a handful of good candidates, your mission becomes finding the best fit for your organization. Here are a few pointers to help you do just that.

Type of interview

The interview process can consist of questions that are close-ended, open-ended, hypothetical, leading and, my favorite and in my opinion the most effective, behavioral-based. Here are a couple of examples:

--Close-ended: "How many years were you at you last job?" "Did you enjoy it?"

--Open-ended: "What did you enjoy most?"

--Hypothetical: "If you were given the department manager position at your last job, what would you have done differently?"

--Leading: "You probably got along really well with your co-workers, right?"

--Behavioral: "Give me an example of a time that you had a goal/quota that you didn't meet. How did you handle that?"

Some of these questioning styles are not as good as others. Close-ended and leading questions are not very helpful in trying to determine if your candidate is a good fit.

In most cases, hypothetical and behavioral questions are going to give you the most bang for the buck. However, the answer is only going to be as good as the question.

Review and plan

Aside from choosing your questioning style, you need to review the applicant's resume, your job description for the position and their job application. If you require applications, which I think are excellent because they have more information than a resume, ask questions around their reason for leaving some of their past positions.

Your questions should be structured, well-planned and standard for each interviewee. You can add a few that are specific to the position, but you don't want to be accused of discrimination or favoritism, so have most of your questioning standardized.

You also want to be careful not to ask borderline questions, such as, "Where are you from?" "Do you have any kids?" or "Is English your first language?" These can all be viewed as discriminatory.

The first two may seem like great "ice breaker" questions, right? Wrong, because when an applicant doesn't get the job, those questions will come to mind as reasons for elimination.

Remember, if the question doesn't have strategic significance, don't ask it.

Your goal is to get a good handle on the candidate's background, experiences, intelligence, aptitude, demonstrated abilities and attitude.

Setting up

The best time to do interviews is at the beginning of the day when you are fresh and void of distractions. If you must do it at another time, make sure you've given yourself a little bit of a buffer before the scheduled time so you are able to give it the proper attention.

Try to limit possible interruptions. Also, don't sit behind your desk: Your email and other distractions will be staring at you.

You don't want the candidate to feel intimidated, so silence your phone and close the door to the room you are meeting in, preferably some place other than your office. This will help to avoid in-person disruptions.

During the interview

Here are a few other pointers:

--Remind the candidate of how long you will be meeting, how you conduct your interview and when they can ask questions.

--Be focused on what information you are trying to get out of the interview.

--Be present and pay attention to what is being said, don't just be thinking about the next question.

--Be prepared and have the questions written before the interview.

--Probe. It's OK to dive deeper. Keep them on the hook a bit and drill down on their responses.

--Take notes. Don't rely on memory when you are trying to make a decision later.

--Have more than one interview. Other leaders may be able to help with the decision. Have interviewees come back on a different day for the second interview.

Lastly, you always want to give applicants an opportunity to tell a little about themselves. You know the saying "silence is golden"? It really is. Allow them to talk more than you question. Allow them time to think about their answers. You'll be surprised at what you learn.

Wrapping up

At the conclusion of the interview, give the candidate the next steps. Tell them when you will be making a decision. Thank them for their time and you may want to tell them the best way to reach you or if you will be unavailable for an extended amount of time.

Honesty is the best policy. If you are not considering that person, you may want to tell them sooner rather than later. You can even tactfully tell them during the interview. If they are not a viable candidate, I wouldn't wait more than a week to notify them by mail or phone. That way, they're not chasing you and can concentrate on finding a job.

If you would like an interview questionnaire to use for your recruiting efforts, visit www.pateardley.com for a free download.

Pat Eardley is a Human Resources Advisor with more than 16 years' experience in human resources management. She supports small-business owners, allowing them to have more time by focusing on creating a successful business environment for them and their employees. Visit www.pateardley.com.The Job Coaches are experienced volunteers from the Center for Women's Job Counseling Program. Ask them a question by calling 763-7333 or emailing info@c4women.org. If you would like further assistance, make a counseling appointment; a donation of $35 is requested.