In the previous article we discussed on how an interviewee or any candidate should prepare for an interview. Not only the interviewee should be prepared, the interviewer should also prepare himself for taking the interview.
Tips for the Interviewer
1. The interviewer should be an active listener. Listen to what the person is really telling you. Don’t try to formulate your next question while halfheartedly listening. Do not interrupt unnecessarily. An interviewer should listen 70% of the time and talk for only 30% of the time.
2. The interviewer should be considerate enough. Even if the interviewer does not agree with the interviewee, he must respect his feelings.
3. The interviewer should be friendly and understanding. He should begin the interview in a friendly manner. This will make the interviewee feel relaxed and comfortable.
4. Be sure you know what skills, traits, attitudes, etc. you want in the people you hire. Knowledge of job description is most important for this.
5. The interviewer should try to be precised. This would help him wind up the interview within the time allotted.
6. Learn how to ask questions. You may adopt a technique called “behavioral interviewing”. It involves asking the candidate how they reacted in a real situation instead of a theoretical one. You might ask “describe for me a recent situation when you were under a lot of stress and tell me how you reacted to it.”
7. Take notes during or immediately after the interview.
8. If more than one person will interview the candidate, give each of them a copy of the plan sheet and ensure that they know why they are interviewing the candidate. Meet with them and review their notes as soon after the interview as you can.
9. The interviewer must be thoroughly prepared for the questions that are likely to be asked.
10. Avoid asking questions on topics like arrest record, marital status, religion, disabilities and more similar questions.
11. Ask questions that require more of an answer than “yes” or “no.” Start with “why,” “how,” “where,” “what kind of …” Instead of “Was Henry Miller a good boss?” ask “What did the cowhands think of Henry Miller as a boss?”
12. Ask brief questions and only one question at a time. This will give the interviewee to respond to each question with calm and thought.
13. Don’t let periods of silence fluster you. Give your interviewee a chance to think of what he/she wants to add before you hustle her along with the next question.
14. Don’t interrupt a good story just because you have thought of a question, or because your interviewee is straying from the planned outline. If the information is pertinent, let her go on, but jot down your questions on your notepad so you will remember to ask it later.
15. The interviewer should use positive gestures when conducting the interview.
16. Encourage/invite questions from the interviewee. Ensure that the interviewee clarifies the question he has. When selected a candidate should not feel he was not told about a certain aspect of the job.
17. Avoid distraction in the interview area. Ensure that there is no or minimal distraction where the interview is being conducted. A phone ringing in the background may also be a cause of distraction.
18. It is wise to check references if the interviewer is considering someone for employment. It is one way to get good, solid information about the applicant.
19. Do not use the interview to show off your knowledge, vocabulary, charm, or other abilities.
20. End the interview in a reasonable time to avoid fatigue on both the sides (interviewer and the interviewee).
At ‘Anurag Aggarwal Institute of Public Speaking’ you are provided training in Public Speaking, Personality Development , Presentation Skills and Communication Skills. In this course you will be trained in all the above mentioned things and others that are needed to have outstanding communication skills. For more details on the course, visit www.anuragaggarwal.com
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iv become a regular visitor of ur blog as ur posts r really helpful.
Its nice to refresh myself after reading your blogs.
thanx neeraj… continue reading these blogs as we would be posting more useful articles on it… all the best…