How to Make the Most Out of Hiring Interviews

Here are some tips on how to make the most of a hiring interview.

1. Get to know the candidate. Use the resume, job application form, preliminary materials such as his portfolio to formulate questions on his work history.

 2. Ask questions logically. Plan your questions so that one topic leads to the next question smoothly. Jumping from one topic to another may confuse the candidate and limit the quality of information you get from the candidate. 

3. Pay attention to body language. Symptoms of anxiety, shifty eyes (signs of lying), evidence of enthusiasm (leaning forward, nodding) can be tell-tale signs of whether your candidate is suitable for your company. 

4. Use open-ended and specific questions to elicit non-canned responses. For instance, try asking a scenario such as “Tell me an example of a time when you had to discipline an employee”, then proceed to ask the why, how and outcome of the situation. This will give you an insight into the candidate’s ability to think, solve problems and communicate. 

5. Take notes diligently. Note-taking allows you to capture the essence of the interview, especially if you have back-to-back interviews. Such notes will also come in handy when evaluating different candidates for the job role and justifying your final decision when you make your choice.