Now hiring? Know these 10 ways to be a great interviewer!

 

New Delhi: The idea of appearing for an interview is a scary one for many, and there are countless forums and advisors that offer tips and tricks to help candidates face the interview board. But the job of an interviewer can be just as difficult, particularly when there are many candidates appearing for a single job interview.

So if you have been handling the responsibility of screening candidates for your organisation, check out the ten unmistakeable signs of a great interviewer that might help improve your ability to pick the best among the lot.

 
1. Good interviewers know EXACTLY what they are looking for

While 'credentials, qualifications, and experience are important, never forget you’re not hiring a position: You’re hiring a result," says Haden.

To ensure you have someone who can deliver results, you must identify your business need, which can then allow you to determine the required skills and attributes.

Zeroing in on the right candidate becomes that much easier

2. Good interviewers make sure the candidate comes prepared

"All candidates should know exactly what to expect: When, where, who will be conducting the interview(s)... they should know everything. Great interviewers ensure candidates don’t have to deal with surprises, tricks, or uncertainty," says Haden.

 

The idea is to accurately assess the candidate's ability to perform and deliver, and not to intimidate him.

 

3. A good interviewer does research on the candidate

 

Asking intelligent questions and building a fruitful conversation can be difficult if you don't know the candidate, says Haden.

 

He advises interviewers to start with the CV, and ask questions about the various jobs and projects she has been involved in. The idea is to "read between the lines to get a sense of the candidate’s successes, failures, and long-term interests."

 

Also try to guage her interests beyond work to understand whether she will fit into the company's culture.

 
4. A good interviewer holds a conversation, not an inquisition!

"The best interviews are a great conversation, not an interrogation. But you can't have a great conversation with someone you hardly know," says Haden.

Knowing about the candidate ahead of time lets you prepare questions that give the candidate 'room for introspection and self-analysis.'
5. A good interviewer makes shy or nervous candidates feel at ease

Unless the job requires great communication skills, try not to dwell too much over a candidate's inability to express herself too well.

That a person who speaks well must necessarily be good at his work is not a given; similarly, someone who is unable to express herself might actually be

The easiest way to help shy candidates is to ask a few easy questions-- about herself or her previous jobs or her current job responsibilities-- and then gradually move on to more specific queries.

Try throwing in a few genuine compliments about her professional accomplishments, too. The idea should be to gauge as much as you can about her ability, and that can happen only once the candidate is relaxed enough to hold a conversation.

6. A good interviewer doesn't just stick to the script

"An interviewer should follow a plan and ask a reasonably specific set of questions, but the best questions are almost always follow-up questions. Follow-up questions take you past the canned responses and into the details, both positive and negative," says Haden.

  

7. A good interviewer follows-up

After an interview, you must get in touch with the candidate, irrespective of whether she has been selected.

Not doing that is rude and unprofessional. It also creates a possibility wherein the candidate is so put off he will hesistate from applying for a position with your company again. 

 

8. A good interviewer never takes over

"Interviews often turn into monologues delivered, unfortunately, by the interviewer," says Haden.

 

Most candidates won’t interrupt, because they want you to like them.

"Unfortunately that means your hiring decision is largely based on whether the candidate was a good listener," Haden adds.