Tips for Hiring Managers: Ace your Interviews

As a hiring manager, your ability to conduct effective interviews directly impacts the quality of candidates you bring onto your team. The interview process isn’t just about reading off the required questions; it’s about creating a connection, gauging their fit, and ultimately making the best hiring decision for your organization. If you are looking to enhance your interview skills as a hiring manager, we will dive into essential tips to conduct interviews that overall lead to successful hires.

Prepare Like a Pro

First things first – proper preparation is key. Before the interview, take the time to thoroughly review the candidate's resume, cover letter, and any other materials that may have been submitted in their application. Familiarize yourself with their work history, skills, and accomplishments. Next, you want to review the role they are interviewing for. You may have required questions that need to be asked for each role, and reviewing this will familiarize you with the list of questions beforehand. This will help ensure a more productive interview and show the candidate a representation of the role and company.

Establish Rapport

Building rapport with the candidate is essential for fostering open communication and gaining valuable insights into their personality and fit within your company. Candidates are usually nervous during interviews, so trying to make the environment as comfortable as possible will help make them feel at ease. Whether it is virtual or onsite, start by greeting the candidate and introducing yourself and any other interviewers that may be present. After the introductions, keep the conversation flowing with some casual small talk about their journey to the interview or any shared interests you discovered during your preparation.

During the interview, remember to ask follow-up questions. Show genuine curiosity by digging deeper into their experiences and highlighting their strengths. This will show the candidate that you are actively listening and create meaningful conversations. Additionally, sharing your own career path creates a two-way dialogue, allowing candidates to learn more what got you to this point and the company overall. Building rapport humanizes the interview process, making you more relatable as an interviewer.

Dive Deep with Behavioral Interviewing  

Behavioral interviewing is an effective method for assessing a candidate's past behavior and predicting future performance. By asking candidates to provide specific, real-life examples, you gain valuable insights into their problem solving and decision-making skills. Most behavioral questions revolve around key competencies which allows the candidate to speak about their skills and strengths through experience.

Below are examples questions tailored to each category:

Communication

o   Tell me about a time when you had to explain complicated material. How did you clarify if the other person understood your explanation?

o   Can you tell me about a time you had to use written communication skills to get across an important point?  

Teamwork & Collaboration

o   Tell me about one of your favorite experiences working with a team and the contributions you made.

o   In previous roles, how have you helped your teammates succeed?

Adaptability

o   Tell me about the biggest change you’ve had to deal with? How did you adapt to that change?

o   Describe a time you felt stressed at work. How did you manage it?

Creativity & Innovation

o   Can you give an example of a time you provided an innovative solution? What did you do in this situation?

o   Describe the most significant or creative idea that you implemented into your work.

Decision Making  

o   Describe a time a colleague disagreed with a decision of yours.

o   Tell me about a decision you made but wish you had done differently.

Leadership

o   Discuss a situation where you have turned ideas into action.

o   Tell me about a time when you took charge of a project and what led you to successful results.

Showcase your Company Culture

Paint a picture of what it’s like to work at your organization. Start by sharing information about your team dynamics, your company’s mission statement, and include any unique perks or benefits that are offered. Additionally, share your own journey with the company and describing why you chose to work here and what has kept you committed over the years. Adding a personal touch will help the candidates connect with the company on a deeper level and envision themselves as part of your team.

Closing the Interview

Before the interview wraps up, don’t leave the candidates in the dark! Clearly review and outline the next steps in the hiring process and provide a timeline for when the candidate can expect to hear back. Also encourage them to ask any remaining questions they may have. Remember to thank them for their time and express your gratitude for their interest in the position. A little appreciation goes a long way and helps make the candidates interview experience memorable with the company.

Overall, mastering the art of interviewing is a skill that improves over time. By following these tips, you’ll conduct interviews that are not only efficient and productive but also leave candidates with a positive impression. Remember, the goal of the interview process is not only to assess candidates but also to engage and inspire them to join your team. Stay tuned and subscribe for future posts geared towards helping hiring managers!