Recruiting people plays an important part of achieving your organization’s goals because it strategically aligns talent to the outcomes upper management wish to see.
Since you only have a few interactions with potential job candidates, it’s imperative your interviewer’s knowledge is complete before you engage with a potential new hire. This ensures that your hiring process is as efficient and effective as it possibility can be, and that you are able to make the best hiring decision possible.
Here’s how to ensure you have the interviewer’s knowledge required to make the most of your interview:
Ensure you have an understanding of what is required in the role
Going beyond basic job function, and interviewer’s knowledge extends to understanding the structure of the team the candidate will be working in, how they fit in the organization, and any other special requirements of the role. Taking the time to understand the real need and how this role will contribute to the organization’s overall goals and success will help you to focus on these key aspects in your interviews.
Ensure you know how the role aligns to your company and its mission
What is it that you want the candidate to achieve? Communicating this to them will help both parties know if it is a mutual fit. Not only do you need to be transparent about the role, you are a spokesperson for the company and are selling your organization to top talent. This means talking about new projects, exciting things happening in the company, and possible challenges they will need to overcome.
Ensure you understand what the role and your company is offering the successful candidate
When it comes to the interview, your potential candidates are likely going to have some questions for you too. Be prepared to answer standard questions relating to their contract inclusions, such as pay, any bonus structure, benefits, and other perks so should be part of an interviewer’s knowledge. Not only will it make you appear professional and the interview process seamless, it will reflect well on your organization and ensure that top talent will want to work for you.
Ensure you have reviewed the candidate’s experience and application
Study their resume, cover letter and any extra items they have submitted such as their LinkedIn profile, portfolios or work samples. Aside from an interviewer’s knowledge focusing on work history and educational background, you should look for gaps in employment, interesting hobbies or volunteer efforts they have included, or their career progression and goals. Is there anything you would like to explore more in the interview? Make a copy of their application and take notes so that you remember to cover them in the interview.
Ensure you know what questions you are going to ask and what your selection criteria are
Having a clearly pre-defined and consistent interview structure helps your interview run smoothly and can lead to a better hiring outcome, since it aligns questions with the skills and attributes you require your ideal applicant to have. You are also able to compare the answers of multiple candidates based on the same benchmarks. You can read how to structure your interview process with an interviewer manual here.
Ensure you know how you are rating candidates
This ensures your evaluation is consistent, which is particularly useful when interviewing multiple candidates over multiple days. It also eliminates the possibility of bias.
Ensure you have scheduled sufficient time and space
Having a suitable space which is booked for the time you require is important to make the experience comfortable for both parties. You don’t want your interviewee to turn up and not have a space to interview them.
Ensure you have given the applicants the information they need for the interview
This could include a confirmation email and/or meeting invite with date, location, key contact information, the type of interview taking place (phone, panel, group, individual interview etc) and any other relevant information such as what extension to call when they arrive.
If you’re looking to create a more efficient and effective interview process or improving your interviewer’s knowledge, contact us today to see how we can help.
