Interviewing Best Practices for the HR Manager
Posted by Chris Conley on Fri, Aug 20, 2010 @ 11:07 PM
What is Your Worst Interviewing Story?
Whether you're a C-level Exec or an HR Manager, anyone who has a history of interviewing candidates has their list of interview killers. The candidate arrived too late or too early. They dressed inappropriately, they chewed gum, they spoke about their social life, they asked about salary right away, they were not prepared.
All of these circumstances can greatly impact our impression of a candidate and thus impact a decision to hire or not. But you- as the interviewer and a representative of your company- have you ever thought of the impression your interview practices give a candidate?
Anyone conducting an interview should realize that a savvy and qualified candidate is interviewing you also. They want to make sure you are someone they would like to work with and that the company is an organization they would like to work for.
Some key things to remember when conducting an interview:
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Be on time. Don’t make a candidate wait too long for you.
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Make sure if it is a team interview that someone is in charge of keeping the interview moving smoothly.
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At the beginning of the interview make sure everyone is introduced and lay out the format of the interview.
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Try to make the candidate comfortable. The more comfortable they feel the more they will open up and the more information they will share.
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Conduct the interview in whatever part of the office will offer a quiet and confidential space as well as hopefully highlight a great working environment.
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As interviewers be prepared with a previously agreed upon set of interview questions and make sure each person knows who is asking what.
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Decide ahead of time how long the interview will take and stay on schedule. Be respectful of the candidate’s time.
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Don’t do all the talking. Make sure you are asking the candidate enough questions to actually find out if they can do the job and if you think they will fit your culture.
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Make sure all of your interviewing questions are legal.
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Finish up with a recap of the job, pass out any great marketing pieces that that candidate may find helpful and insightful regarding what a great place your firm is to work for.
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Let the candidate know when they can expect a follow up call and thank them for their time.
Remember: The first impression you make on the candidate during the interview can make the difference between an “A Player” accepting your offer or your competitor's.
What have been some of your interviewing nightmares? What have been some of your interviewing successes?
Written by: Heather Sandell, Staffing Manager
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Foster Thomas is the Mid-Atlantic region’s leading HR Management Consulting organization. With over 17 years of experience providing best-in-class HR-focused professional services, Foster Thomas creates custom scalable HR solutions for emerging and mid-sized organizations, government contractors and non-profits