How To Run an Effective Interview

happy employers listen to applicant at interview excited of candidatureCandidate interviews can be as stressful for the interviewer as for the interviewee. As an interviewer, you only have a brief period to assess someone you’ve only encountered through their resume. To make the most of your short time, you need to be prepared with the knowledge and skills to run an effective interview.

When assistance is needed with effective interviewing across Las Vegas and beyond, you can contact SOLV HR to meet your needs. In the meantime, here are some tips to help you conduct an effective interview.

Approach Every Interview with a Goal in Mind

Interviews are more than just a chance to get to know a person better. You should approach every interview you conduct with one or more specific goals in mind. It’s up to you to decide what goals you need to achieve during an interview but focusing on goals will enable you to create a logical and efficient roadmap that you can follow during each interview.

Consider Future Needs

Every interview you conduct is an opportunity to hire, not just for an immediate job opening, but to scout for individuals who might qualify for future roles. In this way, you can make future candidate searches go faster while building up a potential talent pool to draw from when you yourself are given a tight hiring deadline. This consideration will also inform your next step in running effective interviews.

Plan Your Line of Questioning

You should compile a list of questions that you want to ask each candidate ahead of time. This will ensure you ask all the pertinent questions and acquire the essential information. Making a list of questions ahead of time also helps you to get a better sense of the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and overall fit for the position.

First, think about your own goals. Are you looking to determine if the candidate has the necessary qualifications and experience for the position? Are you trying to gauge their fit within the company culture? Or are you trying to assess how they would handle certain situations on the job? Once you have a clear understanding of the purpose of the interview, you can begin to craft your list of questions.

Next, consider what information you need to gather from the candidate to make an informed decision. This might include their qualifications and experience, their problem-solving skills, their ability to work in a team, and their communication skills. Make sure to include a mix of both open-ended and closed-ended questions to get a well-rounded understanding of the candidate.

It’s also important to take into consideration the job requirements and responsibilities when running an interview. Based on the job you are hiring for; you should ask questions that are specific to the role and will help you to assess the candidate’s ability to perform the duties of the job. For example, if you are hiring for a sales position, you might ask questions about the candidate’s experience with cold calling, their ability to close deals, or their understanding of the sales process.

Ask the Same Questions

After whittling down your list of candidates, you may have fewer people to interview. No matter how many people, everyone should be asked the same questions. You need to compare “apples to apples” to ensure that everyone has a fair chance of competing against one another. During the actual interview, this may present a challenge since conversation can organically lead to extra questions and topics covered. But those core questions should still be asked of everyone.

Manage Stress

Another important tip is to help manage the stress levels of your candidates. Because you have only a brief time with each person, you want them to be in their most natural, professional mental, and emotional state. You will not be able to get a good read off an individual who is completely stressed out during the interview. Do your best to make the candidate feel relaxed.

It is challenging to know how to conduct an interview, no matter how skilled you are. Sometimes it is best to leave it to the professionals. Contact SOLV HR, the HR company in Las Vegas and beyond that businesses trust, for help with human resource and hiring needs.

SOLV HR Provides Experienced Human Resources Consulting and Support Nationwide. Contact us today.