Having had several jobs, I’ve had my fair share of weird Interviews. You can try to prepare, and I always did, but you just never know what you’re going to get. I’ve had interviews that lasted 15 minutes and one that lasted two and a half hours. I’ve had some with timed tests and some that were a joke. But as varied as interviews can be, they nearly all have the same fault: they’re one-sided. It makes sense. As a manager, you have questions you need to ask, things you’ve got to know to find out if this person is a good fit. So, you ask a question, let them answer and make notes, then move onto the next question. But is that really the best way to get to know a potential employee? Interviews are one of the scariest parts of the job search, so potential candidates will already be putting their best foot forward while trying to fight back the nerves. If you want to get to know your candidate and get past the “What is your biggest weakness?” surface questions, you’ve got to get interactive. A job interview should be a conversation, not a speech. Fight the stuffy, confusing, and most of all one-sided process with these three tips. ‘>
1. Conduct a mobile interview.
Get up out of your office chair and get moving. Rather than conducting an interview in your office or a meeting room, give the candidate a tour of your facility, using that time to talk with him or her. Make the candidate feel like he or she is a part of the experience within your company by taking breaks to meet other employees and help the interviewee understand the culture and people to see if it’s the right fit. ‘>
2. Skip the formal process.
Make your candidate feel comfortable by foregoing the formal interview and using a more casual approach. This means that the process is more of a conversation, with less of a formal question-and-answer time, or it could mean meeting in a casual, neutral location, such as a restaurant or coffee shop. A casual interview is a one-on-one interview instead of one with a panel. If your candidate is comfortable, he or she’ll be more likely to be open and honest and you’ll get a better idea of his or her personality. ‘>
3. Ask the right questions.
Even when your interview is interactive, you’ll still be asking questions, so focus on the kinds of questions that allow for a conversation. Rather than asking questions based on theory, ask questions based on experience. You’ll get to hear personal stories that reveal how they handle situations, their experience, insight into their areas of expertise, and more. When you turn your interviews into an interactive experience, you’ll have the opportunity to make the best hiring decisions possible. Finding the right employee is all about discovering the perfect mix between experience, skill, personality, loyalty, and more, and having an interactive interview is the best way to do that.
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eSkill Voice & Video Interview is now available!
Using our Voice & Video Interview feature is easy and customizable. You can:
- ask candidates to attach a recorded file or record a video or audio with their responses to your questions
- require candidates to show an ID during their video recording session to verify their identity
- vary the level of difficulty for questions
- set a time limit
- enhance your question by adding a file
- combine Voice & Video Interview questions with eSkill subject tests and simulations
- Receive 24/7 live support for hiring teams and candidates
Curious to see how interviewing candidates for employment can be faster?
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