Interview Tips For Employers
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Retaining talent can be challenging, especially if you do not have a plan. That is why perfecting your interviewing process is crucial. It will help you avoid hiring someone that does not fit your company. If you are stuck and do not know where to start, no problem. Here are eleven interview tips for employers.
Before the Interview
1. Create a Plan
Before starting a project, it is always important to be prepared. In this matter, you should be prepared before you let people know that your company is hiring. This allows you to create a clear-cut description of who you are looking for. Consider tips 2-6 to get you started.
2. Make Note of or Refer to Your Company's Overall Goals
Where is your company going? What does it want to accomplish? What are the company’s priorities, values, beliefs, strengths, weaknesses, etc? Once you have this down, keep this in mind for your next step.
3. Make Note of Your Company's Goals For the Open Position
How does this position fit into the overall company’s goals? Make note of how this position will help your company reach its goals.
4. Make Note of Who Fits the Position
What kind of person is your company looking for? Who is your ideal candidate? Be sure to dig deep and avoid focusing too much on demographics. As we discussed before, Scott Dust, an associate professor of management at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and chief research officer at Cloverleaf, companies who are intentionally seeking diversity should focus less on demographics and more on psychographics. This means focusing less on race, gender, age, etc., and more on the candidates’ beliefs, values, aspirations, and other psychological factors. This will help you connect with your interviewee more while avoiding any issues that may arise regarding diversity.
5. Be Aware of Any Biases
As mentioned above, focusing more on psychographics and not demographics will help you connect with candidates. It will also help avoid biased behavior. We all have biases, and we should be aware of them. It is important for companies to be diverse and inclusive without trying to meet a federal quota.
6. Prepare Questions
Once you know who you are looking for, you know what to ask. Feel free to prepare behavioral questions. Perhaps you can ask them about a time they were under pressure. How did they handle it? What was the outcome, and what would they do differently if they could? This will give you an idea of their character. Do not be afraid to throw in some fun questions in order to get to know your candidate.
During the Interview
7. Have Gratitude
Sometimes hiring managers have the idea that the candidate is in more need than the company. In reality, the company needs the employee just as much as the employee needs the company. Lead with gratitude and honor by being thankful for the opportunity to interview a potential employee. Finding amazing talent can be hard, and with the Great Shuffle, it can be even harder to keep talent that sticks with your company for years. If the interviewee feels appreciated from the beginning and fits your company, you have a better chance of maintaining your relationship with them.
8. Have a Conversation
Interviewees can sometimes be nervous, so pay attention to any cues of anxiety or nervousness. This may include stuttering, fidgeting, not making eye contact, etc. Do your best to make them feel comfortable. Asking fun questions or getting to know their values, beliefs, aspirations, or even favorite foods can help them to relax.
9. Be Open to Deviation
Do not be afraid to deviate. You do not have to stick to the plan. Your candidate may say something, leading the discussion in a new direction or sparking a new question for you to ask. Your questions are only there to guide you and prepare you for a straightforward interview. If something piques your interest or sounds off-putting, dig in deeper.
10. Active Listening
Sometimes we can get so caught up in taking notes, looking at our list of questions, or preparing what to say next. Listen with active ears. It will be helpful for you to listen to understand your candidate and not just to respond. This allows you to get a better idea of who your interviewee is and if they are the right fit.
After the Interview
11. Follow-Up With Each Interviewee
Listen, I know this can be a lot, but set your company apart by following up with all candidates regardless of the outcome. There are a lot of people who are looking for a job, and some of them put a lot of effort into preparing for an interview. In some cases, candidates are highly hopeful for an opportunity to work for your company. Show candidates that you appreciate their time by following up with them.
If you decide to move forward with them, tell them why. Let them know what interests or impressed you. This will give them an idea of what they can bring to the company and how they can continue thriving. If you are not moving forward with a candidate, tell them why. Perhaps there are some things they can work on. Be sure to let them know that you value their time and effort. After all, they thought enough of your company to apply for it.
Need More Help?
Looking for the perfect candidate is a process that can be daunting. But it is extremely important when it comes to retaining talent. After all, the worst thing that can happen is hiring someone that is not the right fit. If you need help preparing for interviews or even finding talent, be sure to reach out to us as we are happy to be here for you.