Dear Manager : How to conduct successful recruitment interviews (Part 1) #InterviewProcedure #InterviewToSelect

Everybody knows how to conduct interviews. Right? After all, what can be so difficult about asking a few job-related questions and eliciting answers from an eager and rather nervous candidate? And the company brief is already with you, so you are aware of the job duties and responsibilities for the position you are hiring for.

But statistics prove this assertion quite wrong. Studies show that almost 80% of new recruits are found unsuitable for the job, and have to be trained and groomed extensively before they can show some results. Further alarming statistics inform that even skilled and qualified recruits find themselves maladjusted for the position they have been selected for, and either leave after a couple of months, or stay on showing minimal performance.

Now attrition or mismatch between company culture and individual values cannot be attributed solely to the ineffectiveness of the recruitment interview. But much of the success of the employment process depends on how far the interviewer has been successful in selecting not only the most qualified, but the best-suited candidate. 

Therefore, it can be safely concluded that most interviewers need to brush up their skills and techniques in conducting effective interviews.

This is not to say that the HR person is the only one qualified to conduct smart interviews, though they are the ones most familiar with corporate culture and organizational values, and understand motivation and attitude better. Line managers, however, have the distinct advantage of understanding the requirements of the job in and out, so they can assess technical aptitude and functional skills in a manner no one else can.

But, whatever your functional responsibilities are, with a little preparation and training, you too can make a success of the interviews you conduct.

Let’s start at the beginning. After you are handed the shortlist of suitable candidates, and are given the brief for conducting interviews, what preparation do you take? (Tick the option you follow)

a) Check the job description and specifications, draw up a list of appropriate questions to ask, decide on the parameters on which to evaluate the candidates;

Or

 b) You are running against time, so you just sit through the interview, meet the guys, and depend on your gut instinct to select the right person.

If you are a busy executive, hard pressed for time, racing against deadlines, chances are you do the latter. That is, conduct the interview without proper preparation.

But common sense tells us that as with all other management functions, the interviewing and selection process requires proper planning and goal setting. Much of the success of execution and delivery depends on the thought process that has gone into it.

It is a given that you will assess the candidate for skills, knowledge and abilities. However, it may be worthwhile to make this checklist before you hold the interviews:

?         Is the candidate willing to listen?

?         Is he/she enthusiastic, flexible and willing to learn?

?         Does the candidate have the right competencies for the job? (Refer to the competency manual)

?         Does he/she fit into the company culture? Are his/her values compatible with company values?

?         Has he/she been able to prove his/her abilities in the past?

?         How does he/she refer to the previous employer/job? Positively/negatively?

You will find yourself mentally ticking the boxes while speaking to prospective candidates. Checking on these parameters will involve a lot of non-judgmental assessment on your part. 

You have to consciously remove bias and pre-determined notions from your judgment.

Which brings me to the most important part of taking interviews, i.e., impartial evaluation of candidates.

Are you falling in the trap of selecting people who mirror you in personality and thinking? Check yourself and keep the interview grounded to the requirements of the job. A good way to do this may be to include another person for a second opinion. Another way would be to prepare a set of questions and expected responses beforehand, taking the help of someone who has handled the job well in the past. This way, you can firmly keep your bias in check, and stick to the pre-determined format in the interview.

In my next post I will discuss some important steps of conducting successful job interviews. Keep reading ! :)