Interview Training

Did you know there is a right way and a wrong way to interview someone for a job.  Most of the time we just want the position filled as soon as possible, so we take the applications and interview people on the spot.  That is the wrong way to interview.First, you want to do a pre-screening.  Tell anyone who comes in to apply that you are taking applications until such and such date and give them an application.  Let them know that if they have a resume they can return it when they return the application.  Let them know that once all applications are turned in, interviews will be set up with those people who your company is interested in.

As soon as the first application is turned in, you will want to start doing these four things:

1. First, take a piece of paper and on the left side, make a list of qualities that this job requires.  Make and attach a copy to each application/resume that is turned in.  Go through each application and write down anything they have that fit the required qualities:  If organization is important to the job, and they recieved an award for being the most organized person at their old job, then mark that down, etc.
2. If they have turned in a resume, look over the current career description.  Does it come close to what this job entails?
3. Read over the resume and the application carefully.  Check for anything that doesn’t match or doesn’t seem right
4. Check to make sure that what they have under education is true and correct.

Now you have a good start on who you want to interview in person.  Call only those you are really interested in.  Don’t waste your time with those you are not.  The first ‘interview’ should be a telephone interview.  This will give you some ideas on who you want to interview in person.

During this telephone interview, you will want to cover anything that you found important during the pre-screening. You want this to be a brief conversation, but you also want to know who to invite for an in-person interview.

You want to ask them, briefly, about the things that weren’t so good.  You have your list on each application, if you have something that doesn’t fit the qualities of the job, but you find could be helpful otherwise, mention this on the telephone and see what they have to say.  If they answered your questions to your satisfaction, then schedule their face-to-face interview.

Once you have found the best candidates from the pre-screening and telephone interview, it is time to schedule those face-to-face interviews.

During these face-to-face interviews, you want to let the candidate do most of the talking.  Ask a question and let them answer it.  Don’t help them if they can’t come up with an answer.  Just let them know to take their time.

If you help them out of a situation during the interview, then you might be helping them out of all kinds of jams in the actual job.  If you give them time and they still can’t come up with the answer, then move on and don’t say anything else about it.  Just make note of what happened.  They are nervous and if they really know what they are talking about, then giving them a little time to get their thoughts together, will allow them to answer your question.  If they can’t, then you might not want them for this position.

If you have a talker who just keeps going on and on about something that has nothing to do with the job or the question just asked, politely interrupt them and ask them something else.

And it is not written that you have to stay in your office during an interview.  Walk around with the applicant and let them meet others they will be working with.  This will allow you to see how they interact with others and give your staff a chance to size them up and let you know what their first thoughts were.

Hopefully, by-the-time your interview is over, you will know who you want to hire.  If there is a close call between two applicants, then ask your boss to interview them and see what they say or if you ARE the boss, do a second interview and this time have someone else there with you that works in that department or have your assistant manager sit in on the interview.

Two thoughts are better than one if you aren’t sure.