How to be a Great Interviewer

As an interviewer you have nothing to prove.

For every person who is hunting for the perfect job and must go through a job interview, there is the person who conducts the interview on behalf of the business that is hiring new employees. This could be anyone, depending on the type of business, from a specialized employee that works in human resources, to a store manager, or sometimes even the business owner themselves. Regardless of who is doing the interviewing, however, there are things that the interviewer needs to know and be able to do in order to conduct an interview properly and effectively.

If you find yourself having to interview potential new hires for the company or business that you work for, it is first helpful to be organized. If you have a future appointment with an applicant to interview them, make yourself familiar with their application and/or resume. Armed with this information, you can make a list of questions to ask the applicant. Some businesses and companies already have a predetermined list of questions that need to be asked and answered during an interview, so this part may already be done for you. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with information about the applicant.

Once you are in the interview, introduce yourself and explain the purpose of the interview. Not only will this serve as the ice breaker between yourself and the applicant so that they can feel a bit more comfortable, but it also gives you a chance to establish a repore with the applicant. This is probably the only opportunity you will have to instill upon the applicant that you are in control of the interview.

Now that you have introduced yourself and explained your role in the interview process, it is time to proceed with the interview itself, and this can be done in a couple different ways. You can either allow the applicant to self-direct by simply asking them to tell you more about themselves, following up at the end with questions to clarify anything they may have missed or been unclear on. Or you can ask your questions from the list in a more structured way, wherein you lead the progress of the interview. Which method you choose not only depends on whether the business you are interviewing for has specific expectations about how interviews are to be conducted, but it also depends on the applicant. Some people have an easier time talking about themselves than others, so it is up to you to gauge the applicant to see which style will work best.

Because most applicants are likely to focus on their past employment positions held when discussing themselves, you need to ask pointed questions about how they intend to conduct themselves if hired. Have the applicant explain why they chose to apply for a position at your company and what they feel they have to offer. What makes them more qualified than others who have applied.

During the whole of the interview, you need to visually size up the applicant. Make note of their body language. Have they come in dressed appropriately for the position, or did they just throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt? Are they making regular eye contact with you, or are they avoiding contact? These are all things that can give you information about the applicant as a person, and how they may perform in the position they are applying for.

Job interviewers are the face of any organization. Take your role seriously.