How To Conduct The Perfect Job Interview

After countless hours of writing job ads, reviewing job applications, and picking the most qualified job applicants, it’s finally time for the job interview round. Are you ready to interview job candidates? Do you know how to conduct the perfect job interview? You will after reading this post.

Conducting the perfect job interview is no easy task. People always talk about how anxious and nervous the job candidate feels going into an interview, but what about the interviewer? It’s stressful for you as well. There’s a lot riding on the job interview – no pressure.

With the right strategies in place you can conduct the perfect job interview. It all starts by following these simple steps:

• Understand The Role You Are Hiring For – When you are interviewing a candidate you need to have a clear understanding of what the job entails. This way you can relate to the candidate to ensure they know their stuff and to make sure they can do the job.
• Clearly Communicate With The Job Candidate – Before the interview day, make contact with the job candidate so that they know what to expect. This will help to form a relationship, put the candidate at ease, and ensure they bring their A-game.
• Research The Candidate – To make it to the interview round, the candidate must be a stand out applicant. Before they show up, take the time to review their resume and cover letter. Dig a little deeper with a Google search. Find out more about them so that you can relate to them.
• Structure The Interview – It’s wise to have a game plan when you go into the interview. Define what type of interview you will conduct (panel, individual, group, etc.). Know how much time you have to ask and to answer questions.
• Prepare Open Ended Questions – Avoid questions that only need a “yes” or “no” answer. Open ended questions require a detailed response and they drive conversation. Make a list of questions that you plan to ask. Double check that there are no illegal interview questions on the list!
• Build Rapport – When the job interview begins, it’s important to break the ice and build rapport with the job candidate. Try to find something in common that you can discuss before you dive into the question session. Remember that the job interview is a conversation, not an interrogation. Show a genuine interest in getting to know the job candidate. Try to personalize the experience.
• Sell The Company And The Job – The job interview is a two way conversation. While you’re trying to decide if you want to hire the job candidate, the job candidate is trying to decide if they want to work for your company. This means you need to sell the job and the company. Highlight the perks & benefits. Hit on the company culture. Define why this is the best job in the world.
• Be Ready And Willing To Answer Questions – Asking questions helps you learn about what makes the candidate tick, but answering questions will help you see how the candidate thinks and what they value. Always encourage the job candidate to ask questions. Any candidate who is prepared and who has done their research should have questions to ask you.
• Layout The Next Steps – As the interview comes to a close, it’s time to tie up any loose ends and layout the next steps in the hiring process. Provide specific timeframes for when the job candidate will hear back from you about the job. Communicate what the job seeker needs to do next, if anything.

At this point, the interview is done. Conduct any other interviews with other job candidates. Then sit back and reflect on what you’ve learned during the process. You’ll either need to conduct more interviews or make an irresistible job offer, but that’s up for you to decide.

Use this simple guideline to help you conduct the perfect job interview. It will help you hire the best person for the job every single time.