Interview Tips
By Maureen Ennis · February 6, 2012
Interviewing Tips
Before the Interview:
- Review available information before hand:
Resume
- Prepare some initial questions relating to:
Experience
Education
Future goals
The open position
Phone Interview docs
- Look for any significant items:
Gaps in employment
Related employment
During the Interview:
It is generally a good idea to begin with an introduction and handshake
Next, make some type of small talk, such as asking if they found the office easily.
Then, you should show them into the office and offer them a chair.
A good place to start the questions is to ask about previous (or current) employment:
o Specifically, ask about their title, duties and responsibilities
o Even if you already know this information from the phone interview
notes, it is still a good place to start so you can hear it firsthand.
o A good question to ask is what their favorite and least favorite duties
are/were. This offers you a chance to see which tasks they enjoy or
might try to avoid and also offers insight as to what the depth of their
knowledge is about that position.
o It is a good to ask questions specifically related to the position being
applied for.
Try to ask open-ended questions
o Situational and scenario-based questions are best for this.
o Try to avoid questions that can be answered with a yes/no response
Remember:
Not only are you trying to get more in-depth knowledge about this person’s
background and work history, but you are also trying to get a feel for this person’s
character.
Keep these things in mind during the interview:
o Eye contact o Enthusiasm
o Friendliness
o Speaking ability After asking a question, don’t be afraid of silence.
If hired, this person is going to be working alongside yourself or your employee
everyday…personality matters.
After the Interview:
Take a minute to answer any questions that the candidate may have.
o It is always best to be honest and forthcoming about the company and the
position.
o Surprises can hurt both you and the candidate in the long run.
Thank the candidate for their interest and for taking the time to come in for an
interview.
Let them know that you are still interviewing other candidates and they will be
informed once a decision is made.
After they have left, it is a good idea to write down any notes or thoughts you have
about them so that you will remember them later.