Best Interview Techniques for Effective Recruitment

We need to understand that interviewing a candidate is not only evaluating the candidature, but also selling the job description. It is basically a two way process where both the parties negotiate for their requisites. Hence, that old school method of making it a stress process for the candidate does not fit in the current trend of a more humane form of interviews. Preparation for the interview by both the parties is equally important,demanding a proper focus on either side. Therefore, keeping in mind the evolved process of recruitment, we need to note a few methods that should be adopted to adjust to the latest trend.

Hiring a candidate for a job is no joke. An organisation spends a lot of time and money in hiring for one position that stands vacant. Hence, to make it a success is the prime responsibility of the recruiter. It is not only essential to fill the position but also to get the best candidate possible. At times, the candidates who seem to be the best fits are found to be not so good or at times a liability for the organisation, at a later stage. So, to ensure that out of the huge pool of candidates you pick the most appropriate one so as to not regret your decision later, read throughout. Before starting with the process, the recruiter should be very well-versed with the job description and the kind of candidate that is required for the same. Once this is in place, the further process should be followed as below:

1. Preparing well for the interview: The recruiter should study the job description and prepare for the kind of evaluation process he needs to take up for that particular job. He should be in a position to answer anything that has been asked about the job or the organisation. A proper preparation shall equip him with all the intricacies.
2. Sending a warm email to the candidate: Once the recruiter is through with the pre-evaluation preparation, he should contact the candidate on a call and should send a warm email stating that as a pleasure he would want to consider the person’s candidature for the selection process.
3. Initial screening interview: This stage of interview is essential to build a rapport with the candidate and bring him to a comfort zone, where he can be equally at ease to depict what qualities or capabilities he possess that are suitable for the job. A small conversation with him and discussing the day etc. can help him settle down.
4. Exposure to a situational simulation: When you are recruiting for a particular job, you are aware of what skills and qualities you are looking for in a candidate. Now, to understand if the candidate is going to fit well into the job structure and also with the work culture, introduce him to a situational simulation of that particular profile and watch out for how he comes off with it. This can be done within a group of candidates or the group can be inducted into a team which is already operational at a similar profile in the organisation. There are many candidates who claim to have those skills, for instance, good team building and decision making or interpersonal skills for that matter, but when they are exposed to such situations after they are onboard they prove themselves wrong. However, if they are already tested on those skills before hiring, the organisation can be sure of the credibility and productivity of the new workforce. This involves may be just one stage of evaluation but saves you a lot of time and cost you may have to incur by selecting a wrong person altogether. Further, this gives a chance to the candidate also to get introduced to the work environment and choose to continue with the process or opt out of it without wasting any further time of the recruiter.
5. Final discussion: Now, this stage may be considered as the final interview stage but it may not requiretaking the form of a formal interview as we have already discussed. This has to be rather a discussion between the recruiter and the candidate placing both of them at the same level. There should be question and answers from both the sides. This not only eases the process but also lets the interviewee use brains to ask for things that he perceives as important. His thought process helps the interviewer in understanding what kind of a person the candidate is and what all holds importance for him. For example, the recruiter explains the candidate about the job profile and the kind of work or hours for an executive assistant to the CEO. There is a candidate A, who asks the recruiter about what amount of data work shall be required and will he get proper commutation modes, etc. However, there is candidate B who tells him that yes the CEO is quite a dynamic personality and he heard him in one of the conferences recently and so what role will he as an assistant have to play in taking care of all the requirements of such events, etc. So. now you know better whom to recruit and whom to reject.