5 Things to Watch Out for When Conducting an Interview

The interview stage Is the most important part of the recruitment process where you get to really speak to the candidate and find out if their skills and personality are a good fit for the job. Conducting an interview and meeting potential candidates isn’t just about how well you get on with them or how well they answer your questions. Making sure you are asking the right questions and watching HOW they are giving their answers forms a large part of getting the right person for the job.

Behaviour

Sitting up straight and leaning forward a little will be the first indicator that they’re confident and relaxed, and engaged in the conversation. Participating in the conversation by listening to the questions and responding to the questions asked with some thought is one measure of a good candidate and a confident communicator.

Could they bring something new to the team?

If they possess a quality that your team is missing but you hadn’t considered, then they may be worth taking a gamble on. It’s important that they are a good fit and respect the business beliefs and motives, but it’s easy to favour the person that gives the exact answers that you’d give. In moderation this is fine, but you need someone who doesn’t just tell you what you want to hear or has the same ideas as everyone else. Finding someone that can provide a quality that your team currently lacks, could bring fresh ideas and different ways of thinking to the group. They may also be able to spot problems that you or your team miss.

How did they answer the question?

Often, when people are nervous before an interview they will do their research on how to answer the top interview questions and revise them in their head. When they answer with a pre-thought out question it may sound a little robotic and rehearsed. They may even answer a question with a pre-prepared answer that doesn’t directly answer the question you have asked. This shows you that they aren’t able to think on their feet and likely aren’t very creative.

The best thing to do when writing your questions for the interview is to reword questions slightly to throw people off and use their brain. Try not to use common interview questions that they will have already gotten the answers for off the internet – instead, ask questions about how they would solve a problem, for example.

Did they ask you questions?

You would expect everyone who is being interviewed to have some questions about the job in hand at the end of the interview. No one knows the full details about a job simply from an email or a job advertisement.

It is a good sign therefore when a candidate asks questions, and it is a great way for you to learn more about them depending on the questions they ask. If they ask you questions related to something said in the interview, then it shows that they were listening and engaged. However, if the questions they ask are related to money, holiday time and what time you all finish work on a Friday then you may want to consider that they’re looking for a job and not a career.

Appearance and presentation

One of the first things you will notice about someone will be how well presented they are and their punctuality. Being well dressed and clean with tidy hair and makeup is a good representation as to whether this person is respectable and being punctual is a huge sign of their respect and commitment to you and your company.

Don’t waste your time – or other people’s

More often than not, employers take time sifting through CVs before deciding who to invite for interview and far less time on preparing for the interviews themselves. By using a recruitment agency like Eminence Recruitment you would get a more detailed application from the applicants and get a view of what they’re like as a person before actually meeting them. This will allow for a more streamlined interview process and less time wasted, allowing you to spend more time preparing for the interview, getting to know what you want out of your potential employee.