
My legs were shaking. Sweat was dribbling in trickles down my shirt. Shivers ran down my spine as the reality dawned on me that I was next on the hot seat, so I started taking deep breaths to calm my frenzied nerves. Of course, I was stressed. This was my first interview for a multi-national company. When I entered the room, there was only one person sitting in a chair & clasping his hands over their crotch. To cut the story short, I got selected and later I realized that I wasn’t the only one with a case of jumping nerves; the manager taking my interview was just as edgy as me.
The interview process can be a nerve-wracking ordeal even for managers, especially if it’s their first-time spearheading recruitment.
Given the critical costs that come into play when a hiring goes awry, a manager needs to ensure that the first strike is a home run, and the hire is not a desperate one at all. To help all the managers out there, here are some interview tips which can aid managers as well as Entrepreneurs who are starting out their new ventures.
1) Look for someone with a commitment to his career
A manager needs to look for someone who has a clear-cut commitment to his career. Reject employees who have a habit of changing frequent jobs just for the sake of a higher salary. If the person is not loyal to one company, how can you ensure that they will stay with your company for long?
For this, check the previous work history of the candidate and be upfront if you discern any discrepancies.
2) Test for Analytical & Learning Skills
As a manager, you need to test the analytical and learning skills of your candidates. Most of the time, the resumes don’t clearly encapsulate the skills that the candidate has, so in order to judge, you need to test the analytical skills that you have as testing will reveal any lies that are being said.
Confidence is good but what you’re looking for are the right skills and an impressive educational background. If the candidate proved to be a fast learner, you can move on to the next tip.
3) Check Compatibility
You need to hire someone who can fit right in with your company culture. Inquire the candidate about their social skills, especially how they talk with their fellow employees and managers.
The candidate must be willing to work with you and your company. And if the candidate doesn’t have a good previous background with the clients, it is not an innovative idea to hire them.
4) Improve the Hiring process
The hiring process is one of the most crucial processes for any organization. Therefore, you need to follow some steps to improve in this vital area.
- Forget all irrelevant questions. Just directly ask about the skills, weaknesses, and attitudes of your potential employee.
- Ensure that you fulfill all the requirements that you need to ask the candidate such as necessary education, the experience, knowledge, and the pertinent skills which are needed for the job.
- While evaluating employees, it is a prudent measure to take suggestions from other managers and consider their opinion in finding the right contender.
5) Try to get social with the Candidates
Simply asking personal questions won’t get you anywhere when it comes to probing in their lives. while you’re interviewing a candidate, you need to ask them about their social media presence. Social media is an effective way to sneak a peek into the life of your potential candidate. Whatever they post on social media reflects on who they are as a person. Try to sift through their various social media profiles.
6) Show-up with an interview partner
According to the Harvard Business review, it is advised to show up with one or two interviewers instead of going head-hunting alone. When there are multiple people taking an interview, it gives more room to ask a wide array of questions. This will allow you to touch on more areas than if you were interviewing alone. Another benefit of inviting people is that you get more eyes to evaluate the candidate and make the decision process easier by scrutinizing the prospect from myriad perspectives.
7) Define problems and ask for solutions
Just like when project managers come across a productivity management snag, they use TaskQue to get their work done effectively, you need to know whether the candidate can handle the job to perfection. Present them with real-life business problems and see what solutions they come up with to gauge their problem-solving acumen. This strategy will help you select the right-fit candidate for the job.
8) DO NOT ask certain questions
As a project manager, you need to understand that asking certain questions is not in good taste. Inquiring into someone’s age, religion, marital status or nationality could get your company in hot waters.
The best way to steer clear of these types of questions is to stick to professional questions pertaining to the applied position. Small talk is not advisable, and it leaves a bad first impression on the candidate.
When interviewing a candidate, it is important not to get complacent and deem yourself the master of somebody’s fate. Like I said in the beginning, the job interview is a two-way process, and the candidate needs to be sold on your suitability as their next employer as well. Therefore, make sure you prepare fully, show an interest in a prospect, and ultimately, tell the candidate why they should choose you above everyone else.