Interviewing isn’t an everyday task and, understandably, even experienced hiring managers can find themselves out of practice when the time to interview a new candidate is approaching. Interviews are a two-way dialogue and are as much about the candidate interviewing you as an employer of choice. So it’s worth taking some time to brush up on your skills and to learn a few quick tricks to keep the candidate engaged and leaving with nothing but good things to say about your organisation.
First impressions count
The opening of the interview will set the tone throughout the entire meeting. Capture the candidate’s attention with a welcoming and engaging introduction that sells the role to them and explains why they should want to work for you. There are three simple steps you can take to deliver an effective introduction:
Share your story. Introduce yourself, your role and give a bit of background detailing how you got to your position, how long you’ve been at the organisation and how your role relates to the vacancy in question. This will help the candidate feel at ease and as a result, give their best performance.
Highlight the best features of the role. Give a brief overview of the function the role plays in your organisation, where it sits within your team and how it links to the wider business. Emphasise the training opportunities available or give them an insight into the promotion path. Telling the candidate what the role means for the organisation and giving them an idea of how they can progress will allow them to imagine having a sense of purpose within the position.
Why should a candidate want to work for you? Keep the candidate on their toes by asking them what they know about your organisation. Fill in any blanks from their answer and rather than just facts, try to give them an insight into what life is like working there. Describe the company culture and mention any industry accolades that set you apart from the competition, as working for a renowned market leader is often an exciting prospect for candidates.
Now that you’ve delivered an effective introduction, it’s time to give the candidate chance to show their skills and demonstrate their interest in the opportunity.
Delivering an engaging question and answer session
Delivering an engaging question and answer session means ensuring that the interview doesn’t feel too sterile. It will help to prepare a few questions beforehand but it’s also important to let the conversation flow and not come across as though you’re reading from a script. Ask further questions based on their answers and show that you’re interested in what they’re saying through your body language, keeping an open posture and maintaining eye contact.
Make your interview stand out
The candidate is likely going to be attending a few interviews at different organisations, so make sure yours stands out from the rest. Take some time to show them around the office and possibly introduce them to a few members of the team. Doing this will let the candidate visualise themselves working with your team and, if they like what they see, will get them even more excited about the role.
Keep the interview engaging, conversational and interesting to really sell the opportunity to the candidate. You want the candidate to leave thinking positively of your organisation, whether you end up offering them the role or not, and to keep you in mind as an employer of choice.
