Hiring the right person is not always an easy thing to do, but using the right method of interview will substantially aid the process. The more you know about interviewing, the more likely you are to hire the ideal candidate. Four key methods of interviewing are as follows: 1. Directive interviews Directive interviews are highly structured and are probably the easiest type of interview to conduct. The interview is planned and directed by the interviewer, whose purpose is to obtain specific information about verifiable fact. These common interview questions ask for personal and straightforward information about you; such as, What was your favorite subject in college? (age, education, etc) 2. Nondirective interviews Nondirective interviews are much less structured than directive interviews, allowing the candidate to guide the procedure through candid self-expression. Common questions here are open-ended, for example, Tell us about yourself. While nondirective interviews produce a great deal of personal information about the candidate and present new areas for inquiry, the lack of consistency in the questions can make comparing one candidate to another difficult. 3. Behavioral interviews Behavioral interviews include elements of both directive and nondirective interviews, and help interviewers predict how a candidate might handle a future work situation. The theory behind such interviews is that past behavior predicts future behavior. An example of this is, Can you describe a time when you had to manage a difficult conflict? While behavioral interviews may not provide the interviewer with a wealth of factual detail, they do reveal how job candidates might handle actual work situations that will inevitably arise. 4. Patterned interviews Patterned interviews are designed to cover specific, job-related areas. During such interviews, the interviewer asks candidates questions about such things as their abilities, skills, and knowledge. Common interview questions here, may be in sets, such as: Can you tell us about your past job history? What type of work are you most enthusiastic about? Can you tell us the specific qualifications you have for this work? While the same job areas might be addressed in all candidate interviews, the questions that the candidates are asked might be different. Patterned interviews help reveal candidates' skill sets, but since the questions may not be exactly the same, it may be difficult to evaluate one person's skills against another's. Deciding which technique or combination of techniques to use will depend upon the position that needs to be filled and the hiring information that must be obtained. Delivering the questions at the right time is also significant, so keep in mind the four key steps to interviewing. These four steps are: 1. Establishing rapport Establishing a trustful, or harmonious relationship with the job candidate is step one in the interview process. 2. Asking questions The second step in the interview process is where you employ the appropriate techniques and questions discussed above. 3. Listening Listening well is sometimes easier said than done, since the interviewer may also be paying attention to the candidate's body language and appearance. 4. Present a realistic picture Finally, the interviewer should give the candidate a realistic picture of what it would be like to work at the organization. Such a picture helps the candidate decide if he truly wants to work at the organization. It also helps save the organization from hiring an employee who would quit after a brief stay with the firm. - Giving such a picture to a candidate may even help you get clearer answers to even the most common interview questions, and facilitate the delivery of all the interview questions. |
