Hiring the Right Person Basics for Effective Interviews

Presented by:Elaine Johnson, PHRHuman Resources Director

Hiring employees could possibly be one of the most important activities you’ll ever undertake!

With careful preparation, you can:• maximize the interview process• craft effective questions to get the information you need• make a good impression on candidates• provide information about the job and benefits to entice the applicant

Pre-Screening

Pre-screen candidates by phone to ensure– they have the minimum qualifications– they are interested in the pay/position– exhibit professionalism over the phone

Contacting the Candidate– provide directions to the facility– tell them how long the interview might take

Preparing for the Interview

• Set aside adequate time to avoid feeling rushed• Put your phone on do-not-disturb• Review the job description, resume and application

before the interview• Be prepared to provide information about the

company and its benefits• Prepare your questions

Your Questions

Your questions should:• Elicit informative responses • Identify job-related skills, aptitude,

interpersonal skills• Be appropriate for the position

Discriminatory Questions

• Race • Sex• Nation of Origin• Citizenship• Age• Disabilities• Religion• Arrests

Types of Interviews

• Structured • Behavioral

Structured Interview

• Ask all the candidates the same questions• Document and compare answers

Behavioral Interview

• Find out what the candidate has done in the past in order to best predict what the candidate will do in the future

• Ask about specific experiences that the candidate has had where the candidate exhibited the competencies that are needed for the job

Behavioral Based Questions

• Tell me about a time when you resolved a problem for an angry client

• Can you give me an example of how you have persuaded executives to see

your point of view in the past?• Describe an innovation that you proposed for a previous employer• In your position as _________, how did you determine which duties to delegate to

subordinates?

Evaluating Candidate Responses

• Take notes• Listen to the full answer before preparing your

next question• Ask for more, more, more

Asking for More

Candidates often arrive with an arsenal of prepared responses that may not be accurate portrayals of their competence.

Your response to rehearsed answers:– Pause patiently waiting for more information– Prompt for details: “Tell me more about that”– Ask several specific follow up questions

During the Interview

• Is the application completed and signed?• Offer a beverage• Set the candidate at ease with small talk • Observe the nonverbal communication• Before delving into questioning, ask if the candidate has any

questions• Show the job description to the candidate and discuss the

contents

Wrapping Up the Interview

• Ask if the candidate has anything else that add about his or her qualifications

• Ask if the candidate has any questions• Provide documents describing your company and

benefits• Ask the candidate what his level of interest is in the

job• Discuss salary expectations if this is a strong

candidate

• Ask when they would be able to start work if they are selected

• Provide an expected timeline for the hiring process • Consider showing the candidate the work area• Walk the candidate to the door and thank the candidate for

the interview

Wrapping Up the Interview (Continued)

Questions? Comments?

Course Evaluation

Please be sure to complete and leave the evaluation sheet in your handouts.

Thank you for your participation!