How do you really know if someone you are interviewing is the best candidate for the job? It’s not just about their CV or work experience. Interviewing is a really powerful way of finding out how motivated and capable someone is in a job role. How do you go about interviewing a potential employee and what questions should you ask? This article will provide the key questions a hiring manager should ask in order to find the right candidate as well as tips on how to run a successful hiring process.
How to prepare a job description
In order to attract candidates for a role, the role needs to be described in a job description which will be advertised on platforms like LinkedIn and shared with potential candidates and job seekers. The job description needs to describe the role, the tasks and duties of the role, the experience which is expected of candidates as well as the interview process to help them prepare. The job description should also give an indication of the work environment and company culture to help candidates pre-determine the company culture fit.
The job description should be detailed but not so detailed that it's too long for candidates to find the key information which concerns them. The job role's requirements should be clearly stated but shouldn't make candidates feel like they are under qualified as it might dissuade great candidates from applying. It is also important to make sure the job description is inclusive in order to attract candidates from all backgrounds. Once the job description is confirmed, you can distribute it with your network and on professional platforms such as LinkedIn.
How to determine which candidates you should interview
When you receive candidates for your open role, you should first determine which candidates you will invite to an interview. Interviewing all the applicants might not always be feasible so it is important to run a selection process. The selection process should be consistent with the job role and the hiring process. You must first filter by essential requirements and then identify candidates who are likely to be a good fit based on their work experience, career goals and motivation for reaching them with your company. You must then rank candidates and start inviting your top applicants to interviews as candidates in a job search are likely to have interviews with other companies and might not accept your job offer. When ranking candidates, it is essential to not introduce bias in the selection process as this will potentially exclude great applicants.
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What are the main job interview questions you need to ask?
Before asking questions to interviewees, it is essential to remember that candidates are human beings. If a candidate does not respond well to questions or is not a good fit, it is possible that they are too early in their career path, the job description was not clear or the selection process was flawed.
When asking job interview questions, you should make sure you have a broad range of questions to determine the different qualities and overall picture of your candidate. You must ask them about their aspirations and career goals in order to determine if your company and role can help them achieve them. Common interview questions ask where the candidate sees themselves in 5 years and why they applied to your company in the first place.
You must ask specific questions about their work experience and what they've learned at the current job and how they've solved problems by themselves and with team members. An example question to ask is what feedback (good and bad) do they receive from team members.
Finally, you must ask them questions which are relevant to the role in order to determine their competency for the role and if they will be a good fit. You can give them a problem-solving exercise or alternatively ask them how they've solved similar problems with previous employers. You can also ask questions to assess their soft skills to determine if their personality will fit with your company culture.
The best questions will not seem scripted and will help assess a candidate's personality. Questions must not be designed to identify obvious red flags as a candidate will be able to circumvent them. Whilst there are no right questions or wrong answers, it is important that the candidate feels like the interview was a good experience for them because candidates speak with other candidates and they might be a good fit at a later date.
How to make a hiring decision
After completing job interviews with your top ranked candidates, determine which ones are qualified for the job. You can ask for references from their previous jobs if you want to check that there really are no red flags, but this is not perfect as referees might not disclose them. The next step is to determine which of these candidates will fit in with your company culture based on their personality and working style. Your decision making process should be biased towards company culture fit as competent candidates who do not fit well witemh your team will have a negative impact on the rest of the team.
When you have made a hiring decision, agree on the terms and formalise a job offer to secure them. Formalising an offer can take time so candidates are likely to accept a new job based on how fast legal documents can be put in place. To create a legally binding job offer letter and associated employment contract quickly and without mistakes, consider using a contract management platform like Legislate. Legislate allows you to customise lawyer approved contracts for only £9.95 and offer a seamless and professional contracting experience to your future employees. Moreover, Legislate provides all the agreements you need to be an employer such as staff handbooks so that you can focus on your business. To get started, create an account today for free with Google or your email.
About Legislate
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The opinions on this page are for general information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice on which you should rely.