Performia Interviewing Techniques

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During my 20 years in the field of Hiring I have several times observed how important that job-interview is in the Hiring Sequence. It is a rather large subject that will take a few articles to cover and in this first part I will cover the importance and how to prepare for an interview with a candidate. 

The tips listed below are results of over 20 years of experience in the field of Hiring and is what we use in Performia. It can help you get a better result in your job-interview with a candidate.
 

Preparation:

1. Read the candidate's application thoroughly.

2. When looking through the application, write down all the questions you want to ask him or her during the interview.

3. Decide how you want the interview to proceed so you have an outline and stick to your plan.

4. Clear any opinions you might have built up during the process before you start the interview.
 

The Interview:

1. Start the interview with an open mind.

2. Avoid asking questions to the candidate that contain the wanted answer.

  For example: "For this position we are looking for someone fast and efficient, how would you describe your work-routine?"

3. Observe the candidate and be interested in what he has to say.

4. Really observe how the candidate is reacting to your questions and the way he answers them.

5. Be sure to understand your candidate’s answers and acknowledge them.

6. Avoid just asking questions such as in an interrogatory.

7. If you suddenly wonder about something in the interview, ask. For example: If the candidate appears nervous, just ask "Are you nervous?" It will help ease the tension and the candidate can stop wondering if you noticed he is nervous.

Doing these steps will help you conduct an interview where the candidate feels he can be himself, or herself, and you can find out what you need to know in order to take your decision whether or not to hire the candidate.

It has been successfully used in Performia for many years.