Reading: How To Be People Smart In Conducting An Interview (Video Slides)

How To Be People Smart In Conducting An Interview

Henry Reyenga

What Is The Purpose Of An Interview

Simply stated, a "good interview" is one which leads to the selection of the best candidate.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Location 92). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

The Special Challenge

The interview is a special challenge: you have less than an hour (we shall discuss timing later) and a limited amount of information to select one person who might work with you for many years to come. And remember: the single most important factor in the success of your enterprise, whether that is a company, a hospital ward, an office, a laboratory, or any other team of individuals, is the character and qualities of you and your colleagues. You will want to introduce a new member of staff who is going to contribute to the work of the team and fit in as a constructive member of that team.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 104-108). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Getting Prepared

Go through the job description with a high-lighter felt-tip pen. Mark the elements of the job description which you feel are the most important.. 

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 145-149). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Getting Prepared

Tip: go through each application form with your high-lighter felt-tip pen. Mark the candidate's responses where there is an issue you wish to discuss or which raises a question in your mind. Mark those things which make that candidate stand out (either in a positive or negative way).

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 150-152). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Getting Prepared

Get notebooks for notes.

Make sure you write down thoughts.

Expectations Of Candidates 

Tip: you should expect strong candidates who really want to work with you to have made reasonable efforts to find out about the enterprise to which they are applying. At the interview, questions to explore this are entirely appropriate.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 179-180). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Location Of The Interview

Tip: consider holding the interviews in a discrete place separate from the immediate location where the vacancy arises. Not only does this help to set the candidates at ease, it also ensures that the panel members are less likely to by interrupted by urgent business matters...or be tempted to nip out to check their email.    

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 209-211). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Agenda

Tip: in your time plan, schedule one interview per hour. This will allow:- 

5 minutes for the introductions 

5 minutes for the candidate's opening remarks 

30 minutes for the main questions 

10 minutes for supplementary 

10 minutes for panel notes and discussion

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Location 228). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Environment (1) 

Tip: Here's how the interview room should be prepared:

Find a tidy room, well-lit and relatively quiet, and put a sign outside saying, "Interview in progress. Quiet, please.” 

Arrange a table in the middle of the room which is wide  enough for all the panel and deep enough that the candidate, sitting on the other side in the middle, can write without jumbling papers with the Chairperson.

Environment (2) 

It is useful to have panel members' name cards on the table so that the candidate can identify who is asking a question. 

Make sure the room is warm and well-ventilated and that the sun does not shine in the eyes of the candidate. 

On the table in front of the candidate place some plain paper, a couple of sharpened pencils, a jug of fresh water and a glass. 

 Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 247-251). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Roles

Chairperson: Manage the interview process, introduce the members and the candidate to each other, initiate the questions based on the application form and/or CV, ask follow-up questions at the end, lead the panel discussion, and make a brief report of each candidate and the interview panel's recommendation.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 269-270). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Roles

Panel Member 1 (usually the prospective employee's line manager): Question the candidate on her (or his) experience and expertise directly relevant to the job.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 271-272). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Roles

Panel Member 2 (usually someone with a broad responsibility for personnel management): Examine the candidates' wider personal character and their longer-term potential.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 273-274). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Chairperson's Responsibility

It is the chairperson's responsibility to ensure that all the necessary preparations have been made, that the room is adequate, and that the candidates will be received and have somewhere to wait and that each panel member has all the relevant papers. It is always a good idea for the panel to meet at least 15 minutes before the first candidate is to be seen in order to ensure that the panel members are introduced to each other.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 277-280). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Working As A Team

Tip: the Chairperson should agree a signal they can use, which will not be perceived by the candidate which says, "Bring this to a halt, your time is up".

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 291-292). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Starting The Interview

It is often a welcoming idea and a good way to start the interview if the chairperson introduces themself to the candidate in the waiting area and walks them to the interview room. In a couple of informal questions the chairperson can get the candidate talking, check that she/he is actually the candidate expected, has been received well, and is ready to start. The candidate can then be shown to the chair as the chairperson takes their own seat.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 298-301). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Introductions

The first formal duty of the chairperson is then to introduce each other panel member to the candidate with their name and job title or position in the organization.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 302-303). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Begin With The First Five Minutes

Then the chair might open with some brief gentle questions arising from the application form such as gaps in career or educational history or why they chose their particular college.  Then, after a few minutes once the candidate has overcome their dry throat, the chair might say:- "Thank you. Perhaps I could ask you to spend 5 minutes telling us about...............”

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 310-313). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Getting The Hooks

The focus of those 5 minutes might be something like "...your career over the last 5 years" or ".....your interest in this research area" or ".....this area of work excites you." This is the candidate's opportunity to set the scene and to give the panel "hooks" to lead into deeper questioning. It is also the panel's chance to gauge whether the candidate thinks clearly, presents themselves with clarity and with enthusiasm.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 314-317). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Chairperson's Leadership

The chairperson's role includes taking charge at the end of the candidate's 5 minutes and at the end of each panel member's questioning time, passing the floor to the next questioner.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 318-319). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Role Of Panel Members In Questions

The role of the other panel members is to explore the areas allocated to them in the pre-interview discussion. If you are an inexperienced interviewer you will probably find yourself in the role of pPanel Member 2. You will probably be expected to work with and to manage the successful candidate so you will have a good understanding of what qualities in experience, training and background are needed for the job.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 320-323). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Types Of Questions

Tip: Don't ask questions which can be answered "yes" or "no" and, if possible, avoid question which have a one word factual answer. For example, in a veterinary job don't ask:- "Have you worked with sheep?" Instead you might ask:- "Could you tell me about your experience working with sheep and goats?" If you are looking for a stonemason's assistant, don't ask:- "Do you find it easier to work with marble or granite?"  Ask instead:- "How would you compare granite and marble as media for masonry?”

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 326-330). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Probe Some

You should aim to pose questions which not only reveal the candidate's knowledge but also require them to think and, hopefully, express an opinion.. The objective is not to push the candidate till their ignorance is revealed and demonstrated to all. Even an expert and an Interviewer like you will have a point beyond which understanding is shaky. It is to explore both the depth of detailed knowledge and the breadth of understanding.

Line Of Questioning

You will have prepared starting points for 4 or 5 lines of questioning based on what you high-lighted and heard at the beginning. As soon as you feel you have exhausted a line of questioning or as soon as you have grasped the candidate's depth and breadth in that area, move on. Don't, however, be afraid to move away from your prepared lines if an interesting line of questioning emerges.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 336-339). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Keeping Time

Tip: to keep to the time schedule without distracting the candidate by constantly looking at your wristwatch, use the clock on the wall behind the candidate or put your wristwatch on the table in front of you where you can glance at it without distraction.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Location 343). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

The Chairperson Keeps The Process Going

The Chairperson should pick up on any issues or important questions which have arisen during the interview so far. Then the candidate should be offered the chance to ask any questions of the panel members or to add anything they feel has been unexplored. Often the candidate will ask factual questions: If successful when will I start? Are uniforms supplied? Can I work flexible hours? These sorts of questions should be answered quickly, directly and factually. The Chairperson will re-direct them to whoever is best placed to ask them.

Keene, Kathleen (2012-11-18). How to Conduct an Interview (Cognito Guides) (Kindle Locations 359-362). Cognito Guides. Kindle Edition. 

Chairperson Informs

The Chairperson will inform the candidate when a decision will be given. 

After the Interview

Evaluate the candidate:

Appearance and Presentation

Education and Experience

Team Working

Potential

Making the Decision

Let each person share their opinions.

Eliminate the candidates that do not fit the opportunity.

The one who is supervising needs to be comfortable.

Do not hire someone who was the best of a pick of "non-fits”.

Do a SWOT evaluation of the final candidates.

Making the Decision

6. If the finalists or finalist still are raising doubts but not enough to eliminates candidates, feel free to call any one back for a second interview.

7. Add someone to the panel or a higher up leader in the organization.

8. Commit the decision to prayer.

9. Commit to the decision.

10. Inform the candidate(s) of the decision.