Here are some quick tips for those who are not very comfortable interviewing or who feel that their interviewing skills need some degree of polish.
To start with – a simple advice – Be confident.
We assume you have 15 minutes to plan for and prepare for the interview.
Step 1: Have a quick look at the Job Description (JD) for the position and identify the essentials expectations from the position. In case you don’t have the JD work out a quick outline for the position. Put these on paper.
The outline may contain:
- Position: What it is all about ?
- Essential Technical Skills / Experience: What are the essential technical skills, exposure , experiences and learning’s required to support the position ?
- Essential Behavioural skills / Experience: What are the desirable behavioural competencies that would help the job holder deliver on the positions expectations ?
Write down what you understand is desirable, essential, and critical. This can form a guide map for your interaction with the applicant.
For Example:
You need a Sales Manager. Even if you don’t have a formally documented JD you can work out the following:
- Essential Technical Skills / Experience: Understanding of business, understanding of industry, products, sales process, research, client profiling, MIS.
- Essential Behavioural skills / Experience: Team handing, cross functional coordination, communication, customer sensitivity.
The above may change depending on industry and position under consideration. Its just an example.
We again emphasize, it is very important that you have a good idea about the position. In fact a good number of times front end recruiters don’t really have a good idea about the position, and they end up saying – “you will get additional details during the technical interview” or “ you can ask more questions about the job when you meet the HOD”. This does not through a positive sign to the applicant.
Step 2: Browse through the resume of the concerned candidate. if you have time – review in detail. Identify any key achievement, key projects. These will help you probe better during the interview.
When you talk about any key achievement and project that is mentioned in some ones resume, it can be assumed that the concerned applicant has a good idea about the project / assignment and he would love to speak about the same.
Based on the achievement, key projects or career highlights mentioned in the resume – you can easily plan your probes on the lines of :
- What did you do on the said project.
- Who all was involved ?
- What was the budget ?
- How did it help your company ?
- What were your learning’s ?
- Were there any people or team related challenges ?
- If given an opportunity to undertake or lead a similar project, what all you will do differently ?
- What were the tools used for the project ?
- Did you use a project planning application ?
- Was it related to any other strategic project ?
- What were the outcomes ?
While you review the applicants resume, you can also identify any other key points that can serve as an anchor and that can help you build up more relevant probe questions.
Step 3: Work out your plan for the interview. It is a good idea to identify the approach that suits you and the position under consideration.
Some guidelines:
How do you start the interview ?
After the initial Handshake, Welcome and Introduction etc. , you can begin by talking about the position for which you are interviewing the concerned candidate.
You can say some thing on the lines of – “ Let me give you a brief outline of our business and the position for which we are exploring your candidature….”. Subsequently you can talk about your company, and the position. Talk in brief, talk to the point and offer relevant details and expectations. It should not be a case that you keep talking, the applicant keeps listening, and finally the interview is over, with you being too happy with the applicant for no particular reason. Back to the interview – Keep your brief focussed and relevant.
This part of the exercise helps the participant feel comfortable and ensures that he/she is able to focus on relevant experience of his that can help him pitch better for the said position.
Once your brief is given – you can ask the applicant to speak about his experience, and career. You can say some – “ I hope, now you have a better understanding of our organisation and the role. Why don’t you give a brief of your career, experience etc. It would help if you detail out the experience that align with our expectations from the position under consideration. “
How do you probe and carry out the discussion ?
In simple words – identify relevant probe areas – build suitable probe questions that help you identify the relevance of his / her candidature and suitability for the position. Refer to step 2 above for details.
How do you end ?
Once you are done with the conversation. You can close the interview. You can say – “ It has been a pleasure interacting with you. In case you have any additional questions please free to ask.” or “ We are done with the interview. It has been a pleasure interacting with you. or “Thank you for coming over for a meeting. We / Our HR will keep your informed on the status of your application.” etc.
Now what ever we have said or advised above are guidelines. You are welcome to play around with your approach and build your style that helps you profile good talent. There are no hard and fast rules.
Key things to remember:
- The plan for the interview (Time / Structure / Place ) etc. depends on the Position, Level, and the Criticality
- “What you say” & “How you say” should ensure that – you are able to convey a positive image about your organisation ?
- Show respect for who ever is there for an interview ?
- You are most welcome to cut short an interview if you see it as a waste of time (i.e painful candidate) ?
- Ensure that your conduct with the applicant “is not” and “does not appear to be” offensive or discriminatory ?
- Have a pen and paper / pad etc. It helps if you document key observations during the interview. This helps you map the applicant on essential expectations from the positions, and compare multiple applicants in an objective manner.
- Your approach should not be “one up” considering that you are on the hiring side. The interview is not an examination or a test to make the applicant feel bad or worthless.
An interview needs to be understood as a conversation where in you are expected to interact with the applicant to understand his or her experience, attitude, capabilities so as to take a decision on his/her suitability for the vacant position. Similarly for an applicant it is an opportunity to understand an employer, work culture, and the position in a better manner so as he/she is also able to take a decision on taking his/her candidature further.
Praveen is the Founder & Principal Consultant of KHEdge, a boutique HR & Business Process Advisory firm. Over last 15 years he has advised & worked with promoters, founders, business leaders, HR leaders in areas of - Business Strategy, HR Strategy, Organisation Design etc.