An interview is a major tool for selection process which is set up by the employers to know in detail about the candidates. It is a formal verbal interaction between the employers and the prospective candidates which helps the employers in extracting as much information as possible about the candidate.
An interview is set for specific time and the interviewer must come out with a result as soon as the whole interview process ends. Therefore, it should be conducted in a systematic way so that a proper conclusion is withdrawn.
A systematic interview can be conducted in following ways.
Before the interview
1. Reviewing fair amount of resumes or C.V.s
Reviewing plenty of applications is essential to select the suitable candidates for further consideration i.e. interview. It is necessary for interviewers to collect a large pool of candidate so they can pick out the most appropriate ones to consider for selection. The larger the pool of applicants, higher will be the chances that employers get their choice of employees.
2. Prepare for the interview beforehand
When interview phase is reached, the interviewers must set a clear vision in mind regarding the things that they want to know from the candidate. For this, they must first recognize the job and the responsibilities of the job holder. In the next step, they should prepare a list of standard questions and measurable criteria, in an attempt to know the overall candidate. While doing so, they must not forget to set specific and reasonable time frame. They must also be prepared to answer or justify the use of any required test.
During the interview
1. Setting a suitable atmosphere
The foremost thing that the interviewer must keep in mind during the interview is to set a suitable atmosphere. Following tips will help an interviewer to set an interview atmosphere.
- Dress up appropriately
- Look and behave professionally
- Avoid appearing exhausted
2. Structure the interview
Although an interview is not less than a surprise to a candidate, it must be planned and structured to an interviewer. It is because unstructured interview won’t help in making an accurate decision.
Structuring the interview is also important to design questions in regards to specific problems that the job holder may face in future.
3. Gather pertinent information
An interviewer can know a lot about the candidates by asking even few but correct questions. For example, the interviewer can predict the future conduct of candidates by asking them about their past behavior.
4. Note the candidate’s response
Here, the response does not only refer to the verbal or written answers from the candidates. Yes, the candidate’s choice of words tells a lot about his personality. However, it is also important for the interviewer to notice his non-verbal behavior (gestures) and figure out how well the candidate listens and responds to the questions asked.
5. Analyze the information immediately
Once an interviewer gets an answer, it is better if he analyzes it immediately with the set criteria and notes it down. It is because his evaluation is more efficient in fresh memory.
6. Give written tests
Written tests help the interviewer in collecting and comparing the answers of several candidates at once. It helps in distinguishing candidates from one another and make a better decision.
Points to be considered for a Good Interview
It takes a lot of efforts from the interviewers for an interview to be good. Additionally, there are some points that must be considered by an interview if he actually expects an interview to be effective.
- Facilitate open communication
- Treat every candidate equitably
- Be careful not to offend candidates of any age, sex, race, religious background, etc.
- Avoid argument
- Acknowledge the candidate’s enthusiasm
