Some people wonder what the point of interviews is after submitting a brilliant resume, cover letter, and portfolio. In one of my last posts, I highlighted some interview questions that an employee should ask their employer. This article will be taking the flip side by sharing what the employer should be asking the employee during a job interview. So, if you are an employer or an employee who needs heads-up, on what to expect from your interviewer, this article is a must-follow.
If you are a Startup or new recruiter who is unsure of the right questions to ask your candidates, or you are an employee, who just wants to know what to expect from your forthcoming interview, then, this article is for you.
I will share10 steps on how to choose an outstanding candidate through a job interview.
10 STEPS TO CONDUCT THE PERFECT JOB INTERVIEW
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Exchange greetings and engage them a bit
This part of an interview is as important as any professional question that you would ask your candidate. Oftentimes, candidates are often nervous.
Your job should be to ease them into the interview process. In some way, through their gesticulation, body language, and response, you can determine the extent of the candidate’s enthusiasm towards their job.
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Ask to know more about your candidate
“Tell me about yourself” can never go outdated. This is the first major question to be asked after all the hellos and small talks have been said.
There is a purpose for which you are hiring an individual, and to decide on a fit candidate, they must mention some things to help you decide that. Listen for when they share their work experience or how they met targets.
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Highlight the items in the CV you want to ask
For instance, if you have noticed an exceptional work performance at XYZ company on their CV, acknowledge it and ask what experience they have working in that role. By this, it makes the candidate aware that you paid attention to their CV; In other words, you paid attention to them.
Also, it will help you detect when they are being honest with their responses or not. It will allow them to showcase their value through their experience and what they can offer to the table.
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Ask them if they prefer working with a team or independently
The purpose of this question is to reveal the workflow of the candidate accomplishing a task alone or with a team, to know where to place them if qualified, and to know if there may be work problems in the future.
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What they classify their strengths and weaknesses to be
This is a trick question to ask your candidate. Their response is to explain how both their seemingly strengths and weaknesses can still affect their work and the company positively.
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Ask how they handle pressure or stress
You need to know if the candidate can meet deadlines or give up easily on an assigned task. Learn of their promptness and attitude towards you, the employer, and the allotted tasks.
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Ask what makes them the right fit for the job role
This may also be asked as, to why you should hire them. This question is to find out what makes them exceptional for the role. One hundred candidates may have submitted their resumes that are similar and fit the role of an executive assistant. However, you probably need just two candidates.
So, look out for something interesting, impressive, and unique to just one candidate that would be useful to your company. When you find it, you will know.
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Ask them for their salary expectations
You will be doing your company injustice by not having a budget for each role. It is important to know what the candidate expects as payment. It will be relieving if the candidate gives a figure below what you expected.
You’d get to keep some change in your pocket, wouldn’t you? Lol. To be prepared for your candidate’s response however it comes, click here.
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Ask if they have any questions for you
Here, you are looking out for an employee who has done their homework through research and to observe their willingness to work alongside co-workers and your organization overall.
When a question is asked, be as honest as you can to answer. Check out Interview tips: Common questions to understand the concept of this.
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Differentiate between one who is nervous and one who is unqualified for a role
A candidate might be nervous, but if given a chance, will eventually reveal their true potential. This will save you from making a regrettable mistake.
Finally, you need to know that as recruiters can smell fear or lack of preparation of a job candidate, so can the candidate also smell lack of preparation of the recruiting officer. You need to have these basic interview questions ready before calling a candidate forward. Do not ask the last question at the beginning which usually is, “What questions do you have for me?”
Once the interview is over and you find them qualified, don’t forget to let them know the next steps via an email, SMS, or phone call. There, you have it!