Dear Manager: Some simple steps to make a success of the recruitment interview (Part 2) #EffectiveHiring #RecruitmentProcess

Is there a formula for making the interview a successful one? Unfortunately, no.

But there are some steps you can follow, which I have listed below.

Step 1 - Setting the atmosphere:

Make the candidate comfortable and welcome, before you start shooting questions. You can do that by smiling warmly when you respond to the interviewee’s greeting, offering your hand for a handshake, and asking a few friendly questions. In short, generally create a non-threatening environment. This would be beneficial for your company too, as candidates are their natural self when they are not nervous. Also, it gives you an opportunity to observe traits that would have remained hidden under stress.

Step 2 - Asking open-ended questions:

A lot of us are too fond of asking closed ended questions like:

“Do you agree with the government’s decision to impose uniform GST?”

Or

“Do you think training new employees on cutting edge technologies, rather than retraining older employees, is a good idea?”

Or

“Is the urban market saturated for sale of consumer durables?”

Such questions don’t allow any room for the candidate to express his/her individual opinion, as you have already hinted at the expected response.

A better way would be to ask:

“What trade policies have eased the way for doing business in our country?”

Or

“Where do you think is the consumer durable market likely to grow more?”

You are giving scope to the candidate to voice their opinion without your inputs. Open ended questions have the further advantage of encouraging candidate volubility and communication. Interviewees like to feel that their opinion is being asked for, and generally warm up to the subject.    

Step 3 – Observing visual and verbal cues

You don’t need me to tell you that much of candidate behavior and attitude can be observed through non-verbal indicators like eye contact and body language.

It is easy to be critical and dismiss nervous gestures like stammering and fidgeting as signs of incompetence, but look at the other side too. Maybe the candidate could do with some encouraging signs from your side. Bright talented people have been known to suffer from stage fright and fear of the spotlight, so maybe your interviewee is struggling with a panic attack right under your nose.

On your part, offer positive cues in the form of smiles, nods of the head, and patient listening. While taking in the overall non-verbal behavior of your candidate, do make some allowances for the anxiety and stress that the candidate is undergoing. Your support and encouragement means a lot to the candidate, and no, just nodding your head and encouraging the candidate does not hint that you are favoring him/her.

Step 4 - Base your questions on assessing competency rather than personality

A good way to keep the interview rational and free from personal judgment is to base it on competency assessment. You may be asked to conduct a competency interview by your company. Familiarize yourself with the key competencies of the role in question, and the corresponding behavioral indicators.

Some typical competency based questions would be like:

“Tell me about a situation when you had to deal with conflict.”

“Can you give an example of when you achieved results against all odds?”

“Tell us about the most difficult change you have had to deal with in your professional life.”

Encourage the candidate to recall specific incidents that highlight the competency in question. Many are not familiar with the format of a competency interview, so it is up to you to get the candidate to open up. Gently prod and prompt him/her to recall relevant incidents that showcase his/her skills and abilities.

Ask questions like:

“What happened then?”

“What did you do?”

“How did you react?”

“How did the incident turn out?”

A word of caution though. Conducting competency interviews requires thorough preparation and expertise on the behavioral criteria and performance standards on which to rate interviewees. Make sure you are thoroughly conversant with the criteria of expected performance. Also, be alert to observing other competencies that may surface in the recounted incident.

For example, when a candidate is discussing about a stressful situation he/she has handled in the past, you are looking for coping behavior and adaptability. Also note whether he/she has actively sought help, or communicated his/her feelings to others. Is the candidate resorting to blaming others for the situation?  In this way, you can assess the presence or absence of a number of competencies  through a single incident.

 Points to remember:

·     If a candidate is lying, faking, or giving incomplete information, you need to rate him/her   accordingly.

·         Note the positive and negative indicators in the candidate’s story.

·         Give points for honesty, and make allowances for non-successes that candidates own up to.

·         Most importantly, try to remain objective and impartial while rating candidates.

Step 5 – Matching the candidate with the organizational expectations and culture

In the course of conducting the recruitment interviews, have you had an instinct that this candidate would have a problem adjusting to your company culture or would take time to settle in? Give an idea of what the culture of your organization is like, to the prospective job-holder. While discussing organizational expectations, focus on the artifices of culture, i.e., success stories and examples of exemplary performance. Mentally picture the candidate replicating these stories. Are you unable to fit him/her in the picture? Then, maybe the candidate is unsuitable for the organization.

You can subtly hint that company expectations seek a different attitude or personality type. Be careful not to run the candidate down – after all he/she may be perfectly suited for a different culture.

You can suggest different positions to the candidate if you feel he/she has applied to the wrong post. This can turn out an opportunity for exercising your career counseling techniques. Advice and guide the candidate to do a bit of soul searching and aptitude testing before applying for a job.

Step 6 - Closing the deal

Yes, it is a deal after all. Not a marketing or sales deal, but one involving human capital. And one that will have long term implications in terms of future performance.

• If you have made up your mind to hire, you need to close the meeting successfully.

             I am sure you know how to make an offer of appointment:

·                              Discuss salary expectations and make your offer

·                              Encourage the candidate to ask relevant questions

·                              Note down the expected date the candidate can join

·                             Note down any other specific request the candidate has

• If you are unsure of the suitability of the candidate, hint that further interviews or screening steps may take place. 

• If the company rules require you to discuss with your HR Manager or Director, make it clear to the candidate that he has been green-lighted from your side, but you cannot make the offer just yet. He/she would have to wait a little to get a confirmation.

Too many interviewers I know, leave the interview open-ended and leave candidates dangling on a hope. It is simply not ethical, and you owe it to the prospective job-holder to make things clear.

After you have closed the discussion, you can submit your suggestions to HR Department.

After all, this can be a learning opportunity for you too. You can learn a number of skills like listening, assessing, negotiation, and counseling. Think of the interview as personal milestone in your learning curve.

Trust me, you will enjoy the process and make it better.

Readers: Feel free to give your suggestions on the topic. If you have had a similar experience, kindly comment.