Interviewing tips for employers

Conduct the perfect interview with your next candidate

For small business owners, the hiring process can be a tough road.  Taking into consideration the daily ins and outs of the daily operations of your own trade … finding the right ‘new employee’ can be challenging.

There is the advertising, sifting through applications, short-listing suitable candidates and deciding who is the best of the bunch to make it to an interview.

The interview with your chosen candidates is often the most critical aspect of the hiring process.  Not only is it a chance to meet and learn about your potential new hire, it is also a chance for you to showcase your business, the job on offer and share your long-term vision.

We want to hire the right person for the job, ensure they are best fit for the role and … in for the long haul.  While maintaining professionalism and respect for candidates is important during the interview process, there is a lot we can do during the interview process to support us in finding the right employee.

Be on time. We expect our candidates to show up on time and so should we.  This demonstrates respect for the candidate’s time.  We get that unexpected inconveniences pop up.  If you are to be late, communicate this with them promptly.

Provide a welcoming environment. Choose a space that is quiet, free of distractions and comfortable.  

Greet the candidate and introduce yourself.  This begins the interview process.  How you ‘receive’ someone can say everything about you.  Greet the candidate by their name with a friendly handshake and walk with them to where the interview will be conducted.  Help make them feel at ease from the first minute.

Introduce yourself and then the company.  Provide the candidate with a brief introduction of who you are at the business, along with what you do.  Then introduce the company, its mission, values and culture.  This will help the candidate understand what the business is all about and where they might possibly fit in.

Explain how the interview will go.  This is a great way to relieve pre-interview nerves.  Always keep in mind the candidate will have their own expectation on how the process will be driven.  Help make them feel at ease with a brief explanation: “So John, today in our interview, I will start off with explaining the role and what is required, followed by some questions to best learn about you and your background.  I’d like to hear any questions you have and we’ll save these for a bit later on.  How does that sound?”.

Ask open-ended questions.  While there will be non-negotiables you will want to ascertain to see that the candidate is the right fit, keeping the majority of questions open-ended allows the candidate to speak, express themselves and also answer questions thoroughly.  This is a great way to gauge if the candidate is truthful … allow them to speak!  

Listen more than you talk.  Allow the candidate to fully answer questions and express themselves.  If they do seem to go off on a tangent, politely guide them back to the original topic … remember, they may be nervous!

Maintain professionalism the whole time.  Stay on course and maintain your professionalism the whole way through.  Avoid questions or comments that are inappropriate, and talk centred around politics and sensitive topics … unless of course it directly relates to the job.  

Discuss clear expectations of the job.  It is important during the interview stage the candidate understands what they are getting themselves into.  Leave no surprises and always be clear on standards, expectations and challenges the candidate may face in the role.

Give the candidate the opportunity to ask questions.   Always give the candidate the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview.  The interview is a two-way street where both parties are gauging if the role is right for them.  Allowing the opportunity to ask questions shows you value their curiosity and engagement.

Outline the next step and follow up with the candidate.  Outline the next step of the process.  Once the interview is complete … what happens?  Tell the candidate and be honest - provide them with a realistic timeframe that you will get back to them by.

Say … thanks!  Express your gratitude to the candidate for taking the time to apply and attend the interview.  

Following these tips will help guarantee a great interview from start to finish.

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