You need to have a preplanned structure to be sure that you have been asking the proper questions in an interview. Follow the below guidelines to make sure of having a smooth interview.
Your Objectives Must be Defined before the Interview Starts
Okay, so you think you are a master interviewer! Will it hurt you if you take some time out to define clearly what kind of candidate you are looking for before you begin the interview rounds?
Provide the job description: Describe to the candidate what he or she will be expected to do in the profile and what technical skills the person requires for the job.
Exemplify with success stories: Share examples of how top performers in the same job performed.
Detail your expectations from the position: Explain briefly what you want the candidate to accomplish.
You can also invite the HR manager along with senior colleagues who have served the position previously to be sure you are depicting and describing a proper picture of the ideal person for the job.
You will be able to evaluate each candidate in a better manner once you have all information required.
Decide on the questions you want to ask in advance:
You must not rely solely on a candidate's resume or a job description to arrange the interview. You can receive much more information if you choose questions carefully and well in advance as it would allow you to judge whether the candidate has that set of behaviors and skill-set that you have identified as indispensable for the job.
Include some or all of these kinds of questions:
1. Icebreaking questions: Icebreaking questions help building rapport and making candidates feel at ease before beginning a formal interview.
Examples:
Hope you did not have any trouble finding our office?
Would you like to have a cup of coffee or a glass of water?
Tell me something about yourself.
2. Generic questions: These kinds of questions help you gather common information about a candidate along with his or her experience and skills. Because most of such questions are asked almost everywhere, most of the candidates will be prepared to answer them, and this, in turn, will make the candidates feel at ease during the preliminary stages of an
interview.
Examples:
Describe some of your greatest strengths?
How much of experience do you have with (position, function, skill, etc.)?
Why did you decide to work with us?
3. Position-specific questions: You can quiz candidates on what would they would do in a particular situation relevant to the position they have applied for. The answer of such questions will help you in understanding the candidate's thought process.
Examples:
If you come across an irate client, how will you deal with him?
What is the first thing that you will do if we hire you?
What is the best stress-buster for you while on the job?
4. Experience -based questions: Here, you can ask candidates to share a particular example from their past job experience. The candidate must reply in the form of a SAR – giving details of the entire Situation, Action taken by the candidate and the overall Results. If a candidate fails to fill in any of the three elements, coax him to fill up the blanks.
Examples:
Tell me how you could have prevented the crisis. Did your behavior change towards anything after the crisis went off?
Tell me how you utilize your team members in resolving crises. Provide me at least one example.
One needs to act spontaneously to handle crises. However, if you had all the time in the world, how differently would you have tackled the crisis?
5. Environment-fit questions: These kinds of questions will assist you in scrutinizing those candidates who are optimistic, self-motivated and are bound to perform well in the distinct environment of your company.
Examples:
What made you the feel a great sense of achievement in your previous job? Why made it so great?
What made you choose this kind of work?
What is the motivation behind you working so hard? Provide some examples.
Have an Interview Panel
Whenever you can make it possible, get more than one person to interview candidates. This will make you gain a balanced perspective and you will be more likely to end up having a fair hiring process. In addition to the immediate manager and an HR person, try including some of the peers and colleagues who will work with the person if he or she is hired.
