Personally, I would be Princess Leia. Not because of the fantastic hair nor the fact she can fire a blaster, but because she is cool, brilliant, defiant, a creative thinker, a tough politician and an effective general. Did I get the job?

While impressive, it probably took me 30 minutes to come up with this answer. Most people confronted with this question, especially those that are not Star Wars fans, could end up running for the door.

And are you looking for a Princess Leia?

So interview day is here. Are you ready? No, I don’t mean have you had your coffee and managed to finally find the first candidate’s CV, before straightening your skirt/tie and heading to the interview room. I mean, are you properly prepared?

Visit our interview hub for recruiters.

Start the day organised. Ensure you have a suitable room where you can talk openly and will not be disturbed. Give yourself the time you need. Turn phones off. Relax.

You have taken the time to assess your business need and exactly the type of person you want. You have been advertising jobs for free or run a flat fee recruitment campaign to attract the type and calibre of person you need, and hopefully now have a strong shortlist of people booked in to meet you.

THE INTERVIEW PROCESS

You want to be impressed by these individuals and what they have to offer, but they also need to be impressed by you and what your business has to offer. The interview is very much a two way process in which interviewer and interviewee assess each other. It is important to start by building some rapport with the candidate. As silly as it might sound, smile, shake hands and start with some small talk. The more rapport you can build early on and the more relaxed the candidate is, the better information they will give.

Explain how the process will work in terms of today’s interview, but also subsequent meetings, feedback and time scales.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Now let the questions begin. Don’t be generic. You have taken the time to work out what you need and want, so take the time to translate your needs into appropriate interview questions. Not hundreds, but 6-8 pertinent questions which are relevant to the individual’s CV and the skills you require. For example, If you need somebody who can work in a fast paced and pressured environment, you may ask, “Please give me an example of times when you have dealt with a particularly stressful situation. What happened?”

Read: Key Questions To Ask Candidates In Interviews.

Think about the must-have skills, asking the candidate to self assess on each requirement. For example, “On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate your experience of Excel?” If the candidate replies with 4-5, ask for examples of their experience.

Questions should be open questions that don’t allow the candidate to answer just yes or no. Listen and follow up on the answer. Don’t spend your time making extensive notes.

If you are planning to have a second or, indeed, a third interview you will need to ask different questions that will really identify the skills you are looking for.

Once you are happy with the questions you have asked and feel you have enough information to make an informed decision, it’s time to wrap the interview up. Give the candidate a chance to ask any questions they may have. Explain the follow up and bid a warm farewell.

I hope this has been useful. Hopefully, if all goes well, you will be in a position very soon to close that all important offer. I will be back next week to discuss the offer management process.

If in the meantime there is anything we can help you with please get in contact…………..

Martha

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