I’ve noticed that there are so many articles about interviewee techniques posted online but not so much about interviewer techniques. Being the interviewer can be as nerve-wracking as being the one to answer the questions — well, sometimes. And knowing that your company’s first impression rests in your hands can be pretty overwhelming on your part.
During the interview process, the candidates are deciding whether they want to work for your company just as much as you are deciding whether you want to recruit them. With that, you have to make a good impression to attract top talent to your company.
Above all, asking good questions is a must if you want to determine whether the candidate is a perfect fit for the position and the company in general. That’s why to ensure that you are only hiring the best candidates, you must be equipped with outstanding interviewer skills and strategies.
Below are some of the most common interviewer techniques as well as tips for a successful interview process.
Most Common Interviewer Techniques
Interviews can take on different forms depending on the goals you are aiming for. Most people might think that there is only one type of interview — and it is a one-on-one office interview. But there are a lot of other common interviews, including phone interviews and group interviews.
Here are summaries of the most common interviewer techniques you might want to implement on your next applicant search.
1. In-person interviewer technique
An in-person interview is the most-known interviewer technique. It consists of a candidate meeting with an employer in the office to see if they would be a solid fit for the position. If your goal is to know whether the candidate will fit into the culture and climate of the office, an in-person interview should be your go-to technique.
2. Phone interviewer technique
Usually, a phone interview comes right after an email transaction. A phone interview is when a recruiter or a hiring manager calls the applicant to get a feel to know if they would be a good option for the job. Phone interviews are not unusual. You will likely do phone interviews with a candidate before inviting them for an in-person interview.
3. Group interviewer technique
From the name itself, a group interview is when an employer invites multiple candidates to be interviewed together. This is an efficient interviewer technique for those who want to vastly reduce the time they spend on interviewing. Plus, group interviews can be challenging for candidates. Their ability to perform well goes to show that they can perform in highly stressful situations. Moreover, a group interview is a great way to identify who the most competitive candidates are from the group.
4. Panel interviewer technique
A panel interview is just like a traditional interview but with a twist. It consists of a candidate being interviewed by multiple interviewers at the same time. Just like a group interview, a panel interview can be challenging and can showcase whether a candidate can perform well under pressure. Moreover, it shows how well a candidate can navigate a group setting while handling different personalities.
5. STAR interviewer technique
A STAR interview technique stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Employers use this technique to analyze jobs and define the qualities and skills of a candidate. Each word stands for a step that a job applicant can use to answer a behavioral question. By incorporating the four steps, the applicant will be able to provide a comprehensive answer.
This is what the concepts in the acronym comprise:
- Situation. Describe a situation in which you faced a challenge at work.
- Task. What is your responsibility in that situation?
- Action. Describe how you were able to complete the task or how you were able to meet the challenge.
- Result. What were the outcomes or the results of the action you made? You can also emphasize what you’ve learned and accomplished in that situation.
Using this STAR interview technique can help the interviewees structure their responses to be able to answer an on-the-spot-question.
Read: Step-by-Step Guide to Terminating an Employee Gracefully
Essential Interviewer Skills for a Successful Interview
After we review the interviewer techniques, we will take a look at the most important interviewer skills. In this part, we will focus on these interviewer skills that every effective interviewer possesses.
1. Ability to understand the candidate’s perspective
An interview is not just about hearing the interviewee’s skills and qualities. It is just as important for an interviewer to understand the perspective of the candidate. By listening carefully to how the candidate answers, you’ll be able to get the feel of how they work and act in a workplace setup. Additionally, you must able to understand the role of the position you are hiring for. In this way, the interview can lead you to make better decisions at every step of the process.
2. Being prepared
Being prepared is perhaps one of the must-have skills of an interviewer. After all, preparation is a critical skill for successful decisions. Preparing yourself to conduct an interview means many things, from understanding the industry to being aware of the labor pool you are hiring for. Moreover, you need to understand what skills are required for the position, so you can match it to the candidate’s experience and work history. Good thing, you don’t have to get a deeper understanding before the interview. The candidate will supply you with such information, so you don’t have to read too much information from the resume.
3. Master of good communication skills
Communication skills are a must for every job role, but in this case, we will focus on its importance for interviewers. Good communication comes down to two things: being a good communicator and being a good listener.
Being a good communicator is important for interviewers to ensure that the audience truly understands what they are trying to convey. On the other hand, having good listening skills will help you understand the message from the perspective of the interviewee.
Read: The Right Way to Get Eye-Opening Feedback From Employees
4. Clarity in judgment
The clarity in judgment means having the ability to see through the actual points that the candidate is trying to make. We all know that unconscious biases can cloud our judgment, which can lead us to wrong decisions. In this case, you have to study your unique prejudices — your personal concerns and preferences. That way, you will able to prevent making bias decisions, which can cause you to miss out on talented people.
5. Having a strategic approach.
What does it mean for an interviewer to have a strategic approach? Basically, a strategic approach means having the right perspective, knows how to communicate well, and takes time to prepare. Having these interviewer skills will allow you to set the foundation for more strategies in the future. Keep in mind that an effective interviewer does not simply show up and conduct the interview. They must have a strategic approach that is aligned with the company’s mission and goals. By doing this, they will able to dispose of tactics that match with their goals.
6 Effective Interviewer Tips You Need to Know.
Preparation is the best key when it comes to job interviews. But this doesn’t only apply to job candidates — but it is also just as important for you as the interviewer.
As an interviewer, you need to have a strategic interviewing technique to execute the interview successfully.
Check out these tips for interviewers that you need to know.
1. Make a list of questions related to the job’s responsibilities before the interview.
Prepare yourself for the interview by making a list of questions that will help you extract information about your candidate’s skills and knowledge of the job. If you don’t have a job description, you can just write down the key responsibilities of the position. From that, you can draw up a list of questions that are related to those key responsibilities.
2. Review the candidate’s resume before the interview.
This may seem like an obvious one, but reviewing your candidate’s resume is one of your crucial tasks as a recruiter. Doing this can ensure your applicants that you have taken the time to make the interview productive.
3. Let the candidate talk more.
You must take note of how much you talk during the interview. It’s ideal that you only talk about 30% of the time to allow the candidates to talk more about themselves. Giving your candidates enough time to talk can help you get to know them better — their skills and their qualifications. Additionally, make sure that you have covered all the important questions and haven’t missed anything.
4. Inform the candidate about the interview structure.
Outlining the interview structure means informing them of the step-by-step process of the interview. In the first part, you will give them a brief description of the company as well as the job duties. After doing this, you will proceed to ask them questions. Finally, the applicant is free to ask some questions. By letting your candidate know about this structure, both of you can be focused all through-out the process. Plus, it gives the candidate an idea of what they can expect.
5. Observe your non-verbal signals.
Your non-verbal signals say a lot about yourself as well as the whole company. Keep in mind that you are a representative of your company, so your actions must reflect this. Make sure that your tone of voice is professional and you clearly communicate the duties and the company’s mission and goals.
6. Be polite but don’t get too close.
Remain professional by keeping all your questions job-related. Don’t spend the interview chatting with the candidates. Spending time chatting with them can lead you to make bias decisions in the end.
Read: 10 Modern HR Responsibilities: Guide for Employers
Interviewer techniques: Asking the right questions.
Apart from the classic “tell me about yourself,” what are some of the questions you should be sure to ask in a job interview? Here are some questions you can ask in your next-sit down with a potential employee.
1. Can you tell me about the professional achievement you are most proud of?
All the candidates have one common goal in mind — and that is to impress you. So chances are, they are ready and prepared to share a few major achievements with you.
From an award to a project that went exceptionally well, your candidate will proudly share with you their professional history, which can give you a better sense of their strengths.
Additionally, asking this question can help boost their confidence while going into the rest of the interview.
2.How can you describe your ideal work environment?
It’s smart to ask your candidate what their ideal work environment is to ensure you find someone who will thrive in your company culture.
Perhaps, they might tell you that they prefer to work in a quieter environment. But if your environment is highly energetic, the candidate may not be the best suit for your organization.
Whether it’s for better or for worse, asking this question will allow you to determine if the applicant will fit in with the environment you’ve already fostered.
3. Tell me about a time when you experienced a challenge and how you overcame it.
We know for a fact that job seekers dread behavioral interview questions such as this. Either way, you should never skip this question if you want to gain a better understanding of the candidate’s experiences.
We all know that getting a job is not a walk in the park. You’ll likely bound to deal with obstacles every now and then — whether it’s dealing with a difficult boss or feeling burnout at work.
Understanding how a person tackles a difficult situation can help you pinpoint who the best fit for the open role is.
Read: Everything You Need to Know About Employee Development Planning
4. What excites you most about this position?
One thing you need to consider in a candidate is their enthusiasm. When an employee is excited about something, it usually translates into quality work and a longer stay in your company.
Ask the candidate about what attracted them to the position. Doing this will also give you a chance to know the type of tasks that interest them the most.