How to Interview Someone for a Job (Plus a Free Checklist)

How the Interviewing Process Works

The hiring process for a position in a business is typically a formal interview by several of the company‗s senior representatives. While it took about a century to develop to its present status, the interviewing process has a well-documented long history of over two centuries.

Initially, all interviews were done by the employer and all information was submitted to the company. Once the employer understood the process, he or she created a form or set of guidelines to be adhered to. The original intention of an employer was to find out if there was any reason why someone should not fill the position. If an employer felt that the person was suitable for the position, nothing more was done. Some employers did not impose any guidelines, preferring to provide their own structure based on the industry and needs of the business.

The first form of interviewing dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. From then until the late nineteenth century, the process evolved differently depending on the business, the culture, and the ethics of the time. An employer was usually an individual family member that had their own employees; either their son or daughter was hired by their father’s business. While such selection methods were not always in place, they developed just as interview techniques did. Many early interviews were oral, face to face dialogues to assess an employee’s character.

In order to make the job interview as efficient as possible, gather all resumes and other documents related to the position and candidate.

The more information you have to work with, the better. Always double-check for any spelling or grammatical errors.

A list of questions and materials you have will help you evaluate various contenders for the position, be it for the interview or other job-related activities.

A sample checklist of job interview questions and tips is provided:

List questions you would ask the candidate (we recommend having questions specific to the job and industry to avoid redundancy – e.g. the classic "what's your biggest weakness?" question is a waste of time, as it will elicit the same response every time – a dummy answer in this scenario).
List any materials you would like the candidate to bring, such as a resume.
Get their recruiter’s contact information and follow up.
Find out everything you can about the candidate, their work history, and specific job functions.

Position or Job Description

Have you ever considered interviewing for a different position? Have you ever thought, –I’d actually like to be in a different role?”

It’s comfort that inspires us to think about a different role. We just get stuck in certain roles and start thinking, –Hmm, here’s the thing. . .” We see many other people with the same job and think, –I wish I could do that!”

Whether that’s how you’re feeling now or just before your interview, the next section is ideal for you.

In the following section, you will learn one of the best ways to approach an interview. You will learn how to prepare for your interview in advance, how to write a resume or cover letter that lands you an interview and how to act during an interview.

By the end of this section, you will have a great foundation for your interview prep. You will easily accomplish the interview prep tasks set out for you in other sections.

Employment Application

When it comes to employment applications, how you prepare them, and how you collect and verify reference and background information tend to vary according to the type of job you are filling.

There are some general tips for the different types of job applications below to help you apply for jobs, identify which sections of the application are most important for hiring managers to look at, and prepare for your interview that much more effectively.

Applicant Resume

Helps:

Have you ever been interested in an opportunity, had a chat with a recruiter, but were put off by the process of applying or getting an interview?

But before you start being critical, chances are the resume has more to do with the process than any fault on your behalf.

And although the resume points out some of the less enjoyable aspects of the job application process, it does provide one of the best tools for building out a good application. It can act as both a guide to include sections on and as a checklist to ensure you have the right information for the employer.

The key things to capture on the resume are your education, experience, professional network, and copywriting and design skills.

Education:

The first place to look for information is your resume. Employers are interested in your education because it provides the best indicator of what you are capable of. It can also be key to getting an interview. If you do not have much experience, you should highlight academic achievements. If you have a lot of experience, you should highlight your relevant course work, internships or work you have done.

Experience:

Volunteer experience is an excellent place to start on your resume as it shows you have been involved in your field also it gives you an opportunity to explain your course work further.

Professional Network:

Cover Letter

If you’re job hunting or even looking for a new position, finding the cover letter checklist can be a challenge. There are so many different options to choose from – the type of paper, style of writing, the company you are applying to, etc.

Obviously, there’s loads of information available online. But organizing the information can be difficult especially when you have no templates to guide you through the process. Plus, by the time you’ve finished, you’ve forgotten your checklist and you don’t know what’s missing.

While you’re at it, you should also check out our interview tips.

In this post, we’ve included a checklist of things to think about when writing your cover letter. Simply print the PDF and keep the checklist with you as a handy reference. Plus, this is an incredibly useful checklist to have on hand when you’re interviewing candidates for a job.

And if you’re anything like us, you’ll also want to check out our interview tips to learn more about preparing yourself and being ready the minute you sit down with the hiring manager.

Job Ad (as Needed)

Company name, address, mailing addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, website, fax numbers, and/or web addresses.

Job Description or Statement or Duties

Word limits for resume summary, resume and/or application.

When sending a resume, proofread your documents for grammar, spelling, and typos. Send the document in a recommended format (eliminating floppy documents, double spaced, text only, and creatively pieced together documents) Examples of these formats include the following:

Word document or doc (docx)
RTF (Rich Text Format)
PDF
HTML
Txt

Txt (.txt)

Organization Chart (as Needed)

Depending on the size of your organization, you may need or want to include the following:

Front Desk Manager
Recruitment Team Lead
Telephone Segment Lead
Administrative Team Lead

Important Reminders:

Schedule at least four 15-minute interviews
Sit down and have a straight question/answer session with each candidate. If you are the only person conducting the interviews for the day, remember not to make a candidate feel uncomfortable about the process.
At the end of the interview, ask the candidate for their full name, address, phone number, email, and personal Web site URL.

The Interview

Ask the candidate for their full name, address, phone number, email, and Web site URL.

Ask them for examples of previous work that they have completed.

Ask them to tell you how they earned their highest level of education.

Ask them for an approach to the work that they were required to complete.

Make sure they know why your organization needs the position and what benefits you can offer them.

Make a note of any time you spend at the end of the meeting and add up the time on your stopwatch.

If you’re old enough to have experienced an ink pen, then you’ll remember that they used to be required to be sharpened, which meant that the problem of dull pens was not a hypothetical one. Also, when it came to making stationery for your office, the problem of how to sharpen them was not an imaginary one either. This was because both stationary (ink pens and pencils) and plain paper (for writing) don’t sharpen themselves. Have you ever worked on a job application form that wasn’t supplied with the essential equipment for writing? If the answer is yes, then you’ll know that this is a potential career killer.

Although the internet, in all its –screen” glory, makes it easier to find information, both it and its brethren of paper books (coming in hard and soft cover) still contain a wealth of information about just about any topic. So for you to use the reliable book analogy for the internet and find information about any topic in just a few weeks, I’d argue that you’d have to have an encyclopaedia to help you, especially if you were looking in topics that weren’t familiar to you.

Scheduling the Interview

A candidate may request a time and date for a scheduled interview by either email or fax. Depending on the type of organization and the position being filled, interviews could be conducted either in person or over the phone.

But the candidate may receive two separate requests to meet with different people. If this happens, it’s essential that he meet with both people to gather all the information.

The format of a job interview often includes two to six people, depending on the positions being filled. It’s important for the candidate to continue to maintain a professional appearance and demeanor throughout the process. It’s also important to remember these people will report to him later on.

Some organizations and companies love having a candidate meet with a number of individuals, while others prefer only one or two interviews. As a candidate, you have to decide if meeting with people is important to you or if you prefer to focus on a few folks. It’s worth noting that some interviews will be conducted by phone while others will be in person.

The scheduling of the interview has a great impact on how well the process goes. It’s important for the candidate to prepare for the process … to the point that he feels comfortable and he’s looking forward to the opportunity.

Tools for Interview Scheduling

So you’ve been set up with an interview for a position you’re excited to get started in, and now you’re looking forward to what will be a great first impression for your interviewer and the potential company. But before your interview starts, it pays to consider a few important questions: when is the interview being held and where will it be?

You want to make sure that if you’re on the interview panel, you’re free, and you’re providing a convenient time that won’t interfere with work. Also, take note of any possible preference shifts for your target company regarding location.

And make sure you aren’t caught unawares about travel accommodations. Sometimes interviewers will ask for a credit card number during or after the interview for the plane ticket, hotel stay or other travel expenses.

Meanwhile, if you already have your interview location and time locked down, take a look at your travel arrangements. You want to make sure you’re provided with accommodations that are comfortable for you…and that you’ll be able to reach on time.

Interview Timing & Length

Most employers will give you between 10 and 15 minutes to conduct a job interview with a potential new hire candidate. As much as five minutes of this should be allotted for the interview itself. However, if you think you’re going to get a potential employee and then close the deal in the first five minutes that you have with them, you’re likely going to be sorely disappointed. It’s definitely a good idea to write out your questions in advance on index cards and have them ready to go. Not only will this save precious minutes on your part, it will also help get the interview started on a smooth and stress-free note.

Keep in mind that, while the majority of interviews will be conducted with prospective employees in a group setting, there are certainly some people who prefer to be interviewed on their own. For these individuals, you may have to schedule separate interviews. But if you’re able to find a candidate who’s comfortable being interviewed on their own and will take the time to prepare for it, you’ll be able to save yourself some time in scheduling.

Questions to Ask Yourself

So you finally got the interview. You’ve carefully composed a list of questions for the candidate, and you’re either going to bring a notepad or have all your questions in a mind map.

Then you get the call, and you’re excited to meet with the person. When you arrive at the department of the candidate, you’re greeted and escorted into an office. You sit and chat for about 10 minutes and then the candidate comes in. He or she sits down, and the interview starts. … And it’s over.

What happened? Was it the interview that gave you an idea of what this person knows, or was it the interview that gave you an idea of what this person doesn’t know? Was it the 6-minute interview that gave you a good idea about the person? Or is it the 10-minute session that you got the sense of the interviewee?

You’re not the only person who will be interviewing this candidate. There are at least 2 or 3 other people who will be deciding the fate of this applicant. And all those people will make the decision based on the interview.

Create Your Interview Guide

How to prepare for an interview? Do your research on the company, the job, and the person interviewing you! You’ve got to learn about the company (is it in a good location for you?) and the job (is it in a good position for your career?). And you’ve got to practice your interview skills with coworkers, friends, and family.

Now that you’ve done your homework, it’s time to create an interview guide. You’re going to need it to reference when you’re going in for the interview, as well as to have handy for after the interview is over. Your interview guide should consist of the following.

Core Questions to Include in Your Interview

Every interview candidate should know beforehand what specific questions the interviewer will ask and be prepared to answer them. That’s why it’s a good idea to create a list of questions you’ll ask each candidate. When you’re creating that list, be sure to discuss with your recruiter what you are looking for in the candidate and what you expect to get from the interview.

The list you make should include questions designed to assess the most important qualities you’re seeking in a candidate. For example, you may want to know that the candidate is well organized, gets along well with others, and can do the job. These questions can also help you determine if you’re willing to move forward in the interview process or not.

The interviewer needs to learn enough from the interviews to decide if they want to move forward with the candidate or put the candidate on hold. However, you also need to make it clear that although you want to hear the candidate’s responses to the questions, you’ll also want to get to know them at some point in time.

Your questions should also try to challenge the candidate’s skills and abilities while ensuring that your queries are specifically directed at the particular job for which the candidate is applying.

Job-related Skills

If you’re interested in a particular job, it makes sense to conduct an in-depth self-assessment. Make a list of the skills and experiences that apply to the job you want and that you feel you possess. The list should take into consideration all the things you’re capable of doing, including those you do not currently do or have yet to learn, but that you would like to be able to do.

You may discover that some of the things from your list are not relevant to the job or industry you want. If this turns out to be the case, it’s okay. This list won’t help you if you’re applying for jobs in completely different industries. You’ll have to expand your list of job-related skills and experiences.

Behavioral Interview

Behavioral interviewing is a set of interview questions that are designed to often predict and predict the success of an employee. The whole process is a bit more complex than most interviewers realize, and what they will find is that it is possible to make highly successful interviews without even sitting in front of a candidate.

The behavioral interview is a technique that can be used to assess how good an employee is in a number of ways. It is a structured way of asking questions, and it is a technique that is used by companies like Google and Amazon. It has been widely used for decades in various industries, but has only truly become a reinvention in the last few years as a tool that can be used to assess applicants. The reason why it has become popular is because of the results of the results.

Can Be Used in Many Different Ways

Part of the reason why the behavioral interview has become popular is because of the versatility of the questions. The behavioral interview can be used in a wide variety of ways. It can be used to assess an employee’s skills, aptitude, and other things that will help the company determine if they need to hire.

Sample Work Assignment

Imagine you are a skilled worker looking for work. Your boss hires you to work for a client. He writes up the job assignment and hands it to you.

The job assignment is a request to do work that makes sense for a high-level management position. The client asks you to meet with the client’s executive team, to review work progress for a new initiative. He wants you to:

Clearly explain the client’s business goals for the initiative.

Outline how the team has gone about approaching the task.

Present your plan for moving forward.

Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the team.

Clearly communicate those things you can do for the team.

Present any recommendations.

Thank them for your time.

If you have the experience, you are ready for the job. If not, then ask yourself:

What do I do well? What do I like doing best?
How can I incorporate that into the assignment?

When the boss asks his employees to do a job, he wants to know the plan, the outcome, and the scope. You have to decide what you want to say, and how you will say it.

Plan out your presentation and your answers to the following questions:

What are you going to do?
How are you going to go about it?

Assessment Tools

The goal of an interview is for the interviewer to assess how well the interviewee fits the job requirements. You can use multiple assessment tools to measure this.

They can range from simple, such as a dress code test (where you ask the interviewee if the outfit is acceptable) to formal, such as a Rating Scale.

Conduct the Interview

After you’ve secured the interview, it’s time to prepare for the candidate. The actual interview itself is one of the biggest challenges most businesses face. Communication skills, writing and great communication skills and ability to be a team player are the three areas for the interview that are imperative to have in the interview.

The biggest question you will ask the candidate is where they fit on the team and whether they see themselves as a team player. The testing of this statement comes in the form of doing a mock interview with current employees. If the candidate shows a strong interest and is willing to co-operate, starting the interview with the candidate being an employee is something that’s useful.

From there, you can stress the importance of all the hard work and co-operation the new employee will need. The second biggest priority is the ability to communicate with other employees and the customer. The best way to test this is with a mock interview with current employees.

After you’ve accomplished these two objectives, it’s time to break left to the writing aspect. The writing is a good way to see the ability to not just work as an employee but also as a team member. This is something that’s especially important in the face of technology due to the ease of communication and how fast things are delivered.

Interview Do’s:

Before you start to plan the job interview process, think about what you want to accomplish in that meeting with the prospect.

What are the goals?

First, let’s think about the interview goals we want to meet.

The Goals Might Be To

Assess interest.
———————————-
Gather facts.
Make a decision.
Provide information.
Discover strengths and weaknesses.
Establish fit with our needs and/or the prospect’s needs.
———————————-
Provide more information.

Once you’ve thought about the goals, you can break them down into more specific interview questions.

For example, you might want to pass along your skill review criteria and then ask the prospect if they’re interested in doing work for the company.

As you’re making a list, keep in mind that we can do just as much gathering information about the job requirements and our needs, or we can ask for the facts. The way you word the questions will determine which category they fall into. For example, if you’re asking a question about a requirement, the question is assessing interest.

———————————-

Interview Don’ts:

It’s hard to think of the hiring process without imagining the dreaded interview. Whether you’re going for an executive position or a secretary job, the interview process can be nerve-racking. There are a lot of things you should know before going into an interview for a job. Knowing what not to do can help relieve the stress and put you ahead of your competition.

First things first: Going to an interview armed with an attitude will only hurt your chances of making a positive impression. The key to an interview is to present your best self, which means appreciating your interviewer’s time and treating the interview with the utmost respect.

Next, it’s important that you know what you’re going to say before going into the interview, especially if you’re like most people and rely on your phone. Having a prepared statement can help you reflect on your life experiences, answer the inevitable questions (……When did you last get a raise?……Do you like to interact with management?), and maintain a positive and energized tone during the interview.

Types of Job Interviews

Work interviews are fallible. Job interviews can be as simple as a telephone conversation, a job fair, a computer screen instant chat, or a more formal one-on-one interview. Regardless of the type, the risk in job interviews is that an employer will hear something negative about you when in reality that’s not what he heard.

Everyone has something to hide … a past mistake, a hidden hobby; a personality quirk, a physical illness, a family situation, a skill or accomplishment that the applicant is hoping the interviewer doesn’t notice. And unfortunately, the employer is doing the hiring, and he is therefore in the best position to know what a job candidate has to hide.

To a large degree, the interviewer is in a position to observe whether or not an applicant performs well under pressure. The interviewer can observe whether or not the applicant consciously or unconsciously avoids saying something negative about his past or about himself.

In order to ensure an interview is a good one, it’s important to know what types of job interviews exist and what skills are required to succeed in each.

The Telephone Interview

Practice Your Interviewing Skills

Have you ever felt nervous before an interview? Probably, so has the interviewer. You may feel that your skills and value can never be judged by your potential employer, but you’re still required to perform well in the interview.

In order to overcome nervousness set in before an interview, hiring managers must be prepared and accurate in judging job applicants.

If you don’t have extensive interviewing and recruiting experience, you can learn a lot from experienced interviewing professionals. By merely observing their interviewing techniques and strategies, you can apply them in your own job interview.

Write Your Interview Notes After the Interview

Once you’re done with the interview, you can take some time to write out notes about what the candidate said, an example of their application form they filled in (this will serve as a reference for you to aid in your decision about their suitability to the role), their STARRS score, and any other questions that you want to know the answer to or didn’t get a chance to ask.

This task can be pretty long if you extend your interview sessions. However, if you have a lot of questions that you’d like to ask them, you could write them all down before switching on the dictaphone if you think you’re not going to get a chance to ask them in an interview.

Follow Up With the Job Candidate

You’ve put in the effort and done your best with your interview, but don’t forget to send your follow up! Remember that you’re doing this to shine a good light on your company and to show the candidate that you’re the best possible choice for the job.

The interview was for your benefit as much as it was for theirs, since the interview was the first chance you have to connect and show the candidate what they can expect for the job. A job candidate may not want to waste that rare opportunity by declining an offer, so don’t miss your chance to wow them.

After the interview but before making a final decision, you should by all means send and thank the candidate for coming and answer any questions they may have sent to you in a follow-up e-mail.

That way, you catch any last minute concerns or questions they may have about the job. Since finding the right candidate and maintaining your staff takes time and effort, it’s best to take the extra time to complete the process.

Job Offer or Offer Letter

When you’re about to get hired, you’ll probably be told what language to use when sending documents to a prospective employer. This language is typically dictated by what they’ve been using ever since they created their company formalizes their first informal name. For example, a company might start with job interview questions or offer letter examples, and they’ll still use these same terms when writing up the contract.

That said, the words job offer and offer letter aren’t universally interchangeable. And knowing what to call what is important, whether you’re looking for a new job or finding the right freelancing gigs.

Here’s the difference between job offer and offer letter.

A job offer is a formally offered position in which a prospective employee can expect some kind of compensation. This is commonly offered as a letter, email or on paper. In contrast, an offer letter is a document that a company sends to indicate their interest in offering a position to an individual; it is usually sent as an email.

Let us go further now and consider the document itself.

Rejection Letter

When writing an email rejection letter, take the time to be kind and thank the candidate for expressing an interest. Even if the candidate never gets an interview, you don’t want them to feel completely disregarded… and you want to make a good impression.

What Happens After Making the Job Offer?

Once you make the decision to hire someone or offer someone a job, you need to figure out what happens next. Good job interviews are the bedrock foundation of good answers to the question “What’s next?” because they are the key to making the hiring and employment process run as smoothly as possible. There are some things that you can do after agreeing to hire or hire someone, but generally, these things don’t take place until the agreeing to hire or hiring process. After that, you need to answer those questions.

What happens next?

Initiate and Assess the Offer of Employment

You made an offer to hire someone. Now what? You can now decide whether a job offer is acceptable to you, but at this point, it’s more of a formality than anything. You might still need to ask some clarifying questions to make sure that you’re going into it with your eyes wide open.

It’s up to you to make sure that you are happy with the terms of the offer. If you are, keep the offer on file. If you aren’t, make sure that you only allow those whom you are okay with or are willing to hire back into the picture.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About How to Interview Someone for a Job

What are the most common mistakes interviewers make?

The most common mistakes people make in interviews are not getting the interview itself right, not trying to get to know the person and not conducting the interview thoroughly enough.

In reality though, interviewers also make many mistakes because of the pressures of the situation and the desire to make sure they don’t miss an opportunity.

A combination of the pressure of interviewers and the pressures of the candidate for a job can lead to many mistakes in an interview. Basically interviewers don’t and can’t be perfect.

Interviews are a tricky business!

How to Create a Great Impression

One of the most important things a person can do to create a great impression on an interviewer is to prepare. If a candidate doesn’t appear to be willing to put in the effort in advance, what kind of impression will they leave with the interviewer? Systematically prepared candidates have a great chance of getting interviewed. Make sure sales/business/HR managers see you’re prepared and are on the same page as you are.

Do you have an example of a rejection letter?

Your letter should sound informal. So, you shouldn't use form-letter crap like "Dear Applicant." Instead, get to the point. Here's what you might say:

What do I tell the backup candidate (my second choice)?

The job market is tough, and more people are getting laid off each year. Nobody wants to let people go, but it’s part of the business. Now your team is down to two people.

You need to let a second qualified candidate go. How should you approach this delicate situation?

First, make sure your team is all on board about doing this. Resolving conflicts is rarely a pleasant process, so you need to be certain your team is on the same page. As with any disagreement, it’s helpful to agree on how to handle it ahead of time.

Here’s what you might include in an agreement:

What’s the process for letting someone go?
Who will lead the discussion with the candidate?
Who will initiate the discussion?
What are the next steps after the meeting?
What happens if you can’t reach a decision?
What is the deadline?
Who is responsible for bringing the replacement candidate to the meeting?
What will happen if a replacement candidate is brought to the interview?

Are one-on-one or team interviews best?

How long should I wait for a candidate who is late for the interview?

While interviewing someone, one challenge is making sure that the candidate – whose face and resume represent years of experience – is who he or she says he or she is. Interviewers look at invitees’ behavior during interviews to determine if they have the required skills and knowledge, and if they would be a good fit for the team. As such, interviewers require complete control over the interview process to make sure the candidate receives the best interview experience.

When candidates arrive late for an interview, several questions must be asked: How late does a candidate have to be to make hiring him or her a possibility? What happens if interviewees are waiting for a long period of time and risk making the hiring decision based on instinct and impulse? What if a candidate knowingly or unknowingly arrives at the wrong location ‬ the company’s headquarters or the interview venue?

As a candidate, arriving late for a job interview creates anxiety, raises doubts about your professionalism and trustworthiness, and may also give off a negative impression. As an interviewer, your hands are tied if a candidate’s interview experience is negatively affected due to his or her tardiness. Yet, you need to make a hiring decision quickly because you have invested a significant amount of time in conducting the initial screening of candidates.

What if a job candidate shows up unprepared?

Interviewing someone for a job can be nerve-racking, but the first impression you make on a potential employee can have a lasting impression. It doesn’t help that time is often an issue. You either have ten minutes at the end of a very long interview, or you have time for a brief one hour meeting. In either scenario, you can go wrong if you don’t ask the right questions.

Even the best interviewers make the mistake of not fully understanding what their candidate has to go through on a day-to-day basis. It’s all too easy to forget that each question you ask could have the effect of making a person anxious or defensive, whether they’re genuinely stressed out or simply putting up a facade. The candidates you’re interviewing are trying to impress you, to make the best impression on your mind and convince you to hire them. Nobody likes to feel like they’re being put on display, so it’s in your best interest to prepare appropriately.

If a rejected job seeker wants to know why they weren’t chosen, should I tell them?

No, I don’t see the point of being vicious. The more people know, the more sympathy it will lend that person. It will favor them. It won’t hurt the company, it’s just time taken away from the employees and that means less work from them than it would have been if the rejection had been done in a civil manner. It’s that simple. If they make themselves out to be a victim by how they tell the story and where they tell it, it will only help them in the long run in my opinion.

As for the phone interview, that’s a bad idea also to do during the interview with the actual person you will be working with.

It gives the person too much information. If you’re going to call them again to do the in-person interview, what’s the benefit for them or for you? It’s not worth it. It’s just time taken away from everybody. If you don’t get it, fine. But don’t bring it up during the interview.

If I’m doing the interview, I’ll call them to follow up.

Are some interview questions against the law?

The American Bar Association ( ABA ) prohibits employers from asking questions about salary history, religion, and race. They also prohibits the use of certain questions that request references and the salary of other past employees and employers. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( EEOC ) has additional guidance on questions that are not allowed.

Some Questions that Are Illegal

Age … you may not ask your applicants… their age when they were hired. Employers can also not ask other questions about age, such as the ages of other employees, how old someone will be when they begin work, or what their age is on a certain date.
Marital Status … You should not ask if they are married, proposing to be married, married to someone, been divorced, etc. You may not ask if an applicant plans to have children or take leave to care for children. You also cannot ask if they have children, or what their plans are in relation to having children.

How can I train my managers to interview better?

An important skill your managers can develop is interviewing skills. As a Manager, your authority and credibility means that they are often tasked with making hiring and firing decisions. It is important here, that they can be as fair and objective as possible.

How to Interview Someone for a Job is often a skills that even experienced managers struggle with because of the difficult nature of the process.

This is why it is important to not only understand how to interview someone for a job, but also to understand the list of skills you should have generally in order to interview someone effectively.

Below Is a Typical Skills List to Have in Order to Be a Great Interviewer

{1}. Be patient, restrained, and objective. You need to have the proper mindset to conduct a thorough interview
{2}. Be descriptive, not only in your actions but also in your language, remembering that the interview is a collaboration between interviewer and interviewee
{3}. Acknowledge what was done well and provide feedback
{4}. When you’re running short on time, conduct the interview at the end. Instead of rushing things and dealing with an awkward situation, you will simply save time and be more productive.

This is a very general list, and there are plenty of tricks of the trade in order to become a better interviewer. Your main goal will always be to quickly come to the right decision that will allow you to make the best possible offer.

Bottom Line

Whether you are the recruiter, a supervisor, or a hiring manager, the process of interviewing someone for a job in a professional setting can be stressful.

The level of stress you ultimately experience will be directly related to the prep work you put in. This means discovering candidates’ interview strengths and weaknesses and giving them consistent advice and feedback throughout each step of the interview process.

For this reason, it is vital to approach an interview like a coach preparing his athlete for a big game. You have to position him for success and set him up for success.

Hope that helps you guys out a little bit.

Now, if you could just take a look at some of the best checklists from the article, that would be great.

Go ahead and download the Checklist Free to help you prepare for that next interview.