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Interview ExcellenceMany interviewers first determine if they like the candidate and then superficially decide if he or she could do the job. There is a natural tendency to make a hiring decision based on personality and then to use the balance of the interview to justify the decision. Personality is an important factor as it points to the likely behavior of the candidate but it cannot be used as a reliable predictor of future performance. A candidate who makes an excellent first impression, i.e. articulate, confident and presents really well may not be a good performer where it counts and a candidate who appears introvert and uncomfortable in the interview could prove to be an exceptional performer. Past performance and behavior are highly reliable indicators of future performance and behavior therefore an excellent interview should contain a series of planned questions specifically designed to illicit in-depth answers related to these aspects. Ask the candidate to give specific examples of major achievements. Whilst asking these questions use good probing techniques, the first answer to an interview question generally produces a programmed response, the follow up questions, when, where, who, why, what, give the real information. Go on to ask the candidate to give specific examples of past achievements that relate to the objectives of the position the candidate is being interviewed for. You would need to tell the candidate the job objectives up front. An example could be: One of the main objectives of this position is to implement "controlled self assessment" within the next year, have you achieved anything similar in your previous position? Listen carefully to the answer, ask questions, and be sure you thoroughly understand how the candidate went about the task and what the final outcome was. Then get the candidate to describe how he or she would tackle a similar objective in your organisation if they were hired. You are asking the candidate to take a past achievement and relate it to a future goal. A strong candidate should have the ability to mentally plan a future task before actually commencing. This is an effective way of predicting future performance and behavior whilst at the same time lets the candidate know what the position involves. A good job description, which details key performance areas, is a vital component of an excellent interview. • Essential Managers: Interviewing Skills • Selection Interviewing Submit a query regarding Candidate Interviews |
