Interview Techniques in HR

Interviews are a key element in the hiring process, serving as formal meetings designed to evaluate a candidate's suitability for a position. The process can be likened to detective work, where each carefully formulated question acts as a clue that unveils a specific aspect of the candidate's potential. Structured interviews, defined by consistent and meticulously planned questions, are crucial for making informed hiring decisions.

Key Definition:

• Interview: An interview is a conversation where questions are asked to evaluate a candidate's qualifications.

Purpose of Interviews

Interviews serve several specific objectives:

• Information Gathering:
  • Interviews gather comprehensive information about a candidate's skills, experience, and qualifications.
  • Evaluate problem-solving abilities, communication skills, leadership experience.

• Assessing Cultural Fit:
  • Determining cultural fit ensures candidates align with company values and team dynamics.
  • Ensures a positive alignment between candidate and organisation, influencing hiring decisions.

• Providing Role Information:
  • Offer candidates comprehensive information about the job role and company expectations.
  • This enables candidates to evaluate their appropriateness for the role.

• Contribution to Hiring Decisions:
  • Interviews are integral in the final hiring decision. A 2021 study indicates structured interviews improve hiring accuracy by 25%.

Types of Interviews

Structured vs. Unstructured Interviews

• Impact on Candidate Assessment:

  • Structured: Objectivity, consistency, efficiency.
  • Unstructured: Provides depth, adaptability, rapport building.

• Examples and Explanation:

  • Structured: Questions such as "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" assess self-awareness and honesty.
  • Unstructured: Open-ended questions reveal a candidate's creativity in roles requiring innovation.

Behavioural vs. Situational Interviews

• Sample Questions and Context:
  • Behavioural: "Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict."
  • Situational: "How would you manage an uncooperative team member under a tight deadline?"

Panel vs. One-on-One Interviews

Phone/Video Interviews

Preparation Tips

• Interviewer Preparation:
  • Establish clear objectives to direct the interview.
  • Develop effective questions to obtain relevant information.

• Creating Comfortable Environments: Put candidates at ease using positive body language and appropriate seating arrangements.

Questioning Techniques

• Open-Ended vs Closed-Ended Questions:

  • Open-ended: "Describe a challenge you faced and how you handled it."
  • Closed-ended: "Did you manage any projects in your last job?"

• Probing Techniques: Use follow-up questions for deeper insights.

  • Example: "Can you tell me more about that experience?"

Active Listening and Note-taking

• Active Listening Techniques:

  • Employ paraphrasing and acknowledgement to show attentiveness.
  • Balance listening and note-taking to ensure significant information is captured.

• Objective Evaluation:

  • Establish clear criteria for fair assessments.
  • Minimise biases with multiple interviewers to ensure objectivity.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

• Avoid discriminatory questions to comply with the law and avoid legal issues.

• Equal Evaluation Practices: Use consistent criteria to ensure fairness.

Key Interview Techniques

STAR Method

• Definition: STAR Method: A structured technique focusing on Situation, Task, Action, Result.

Probing Questions

• Purpose: Gain deeper candidate insights with discerning inquiries.

Example Questions

• "Can you tell me more about that project you led?"

Conclusion

By adhering to these standards and techniques, future HR professionals can create a more dynamic and equitable workplace, ensuring productive and satisfying outcomes for both the organisation and its potential employees.