Business is booming again and you have new positions to fill. With so many qualified candidates to choose from, the interview process should take care of itself, right? Not exactly.
The following advice will help you understand how to handle yourself and what questions should and should not be asked.
Prior Planning. The candidate most likely did his or her research prior to the interview, and you should do the same.
“This may seem obvious, but many hiring managers neglect to review a candidate’s paperwork prior to the interview,” says the team at SmallBusinessSolutions.com.
Mix It Up. It’s important to ask a variety of pointed questions.
“Try to ask a good mix of questions — those that give insight into behavior, elicit opinion, demonstrate experience, and reveal background,” says the team at SmallBusinessSolutions.com.
Be In Control. It’s best to set an agenda for the interview at the very beginning.
“Explain very briefly how the meeting will be structured,” says the team at Michael Page International, an international recruiting firm. “Introduce yourself and also give a very brief overview of the company, your department and the role on offer.”
Don’t Kid Around. Some questions should never be asked, like if the candidate plans to have children.
“You are not entitled to discriminate against someone on the basis of whether the person has or will have children,” says the team at AllBusiness.com. “You can ask about a potential employee’s capacity and willingness to travel or work overtime, however, if those issues are legitimately job-related.”
Off Limits. Some topics, such as marital status, are never appropriate to discuss.
“While this is a friendly question and may naturally come up in conversation, marital status is a protected category…” says the AllBusiness.com team.
