How to Conduct an Effective Interview in Less Time, with Better Results

So it's all been dumped in your lap again. Sure, the boss said you're the only one he trusts to pick the right person for the job. He claims you know all about conducting interviews and selecting the perfect candidate. You're flattered, but after all, if he feels that way, he should go ahead and make you the Director of Human Resources. No, scratch that. You've got enough job descriptions already. You will be glad to hand over the job of interviewing prospective employees to whoever you select as the best candidate for the job of Human Resources Director. You've been doing the interviewing and hiring for some time now. And you will choose the best candidate for this executive position as well, you have no doubt. After all, you do have your own interviewing strategies. You call them the "Top Nine Strategies for Conducting Effective Executive Interviews." And you might even consider letting the new Director of Human Resources have your list. It's something you developed along the way, a kind of trial and error system. It's taken you quite a long time to develop the perfect strategies. But then, the new director may have his own list of strategies for conducting effective interviews. They might even be better than your strategies. That's possible, but for now, here's the list you go by when conducting interviews for executive positions.

1. Dress professional. Whether you are a male or female conducting an interview, a suit is always a good choice of how to dress. It instantly gives a sense of seriousness or importance to the interview. After all, it is an interview for an executive position and you should dress accordingly.

2. Arrange for the interview to take place in a distraction free environment. In other words, turn your phone off or instruct your secretary that you are not to be interrupted. If you are going to do the interview in your office, keep the door closed to keep noise out and the focus on the interview and interviewee. No one likes to be in the middle of something as important as a job interview and be interrupted by telephones or loud noises. It's just common courtesy to provide a distraction free interview to candidates for any job.

3. Always schedule sufficient time to do a thorough interview. There's no use wasting your valuable time as well as the candidate's if you don't get a clear view of his qualifications and experience. You also want to be clear on what is expected of the candidate for the position. You do not want to have to go through a second interview simply because you ran out of time and was unable to finish the interview. So allot enough time to conduct the interview at an unhurried and timely rate, but don't waste time on too much small talk. After all, the person came there for an interview, not for a friendly chat. Keep the interview moving along from one question to another. Never schedule an interview close to lunch time or quitting time. The temptation is there to rush through and get it over so you can leave.

4. Be friendly, but professional. You are not their friend; you don't know them, yet. Maybe someday you will, but that's in the future. Maybe. You are the one who should lead the interview. Some candidates will try to take over the interview. Don't allow this. You are the one who should be asking the questions, at least in the beginning. Their turn will come later.

5. You should have already gone through their resume if you had it before the interview. Familiarize yourself with it. It is always good to check any references and other information before an interview. And do check the information out. Don't be afraid to check references or former employers. There have been cases of people going into high paying jobs and several months later it comes out that they lied on their applications and resumes. If for some reason you are seeing their resume for the first time at the actual interview, ask them to give you time to read over it. Read it slowly and completely. If you have questions about something on the resume, make a note of it and then finish reading the resume. Clarify any points on the resume you are not clear on. For example, if there is a lapse in work history, ask why and make a note of it. That way you won't forget their answer or get it mixed up with anyone else's answers.

6. Be direct and straightforward as to the job duties and qualifications. List the description as clearly as possible and what is expected of the winning candidate. If the salary is set, then explain it. Who knows, the position may not pay enough for the interviewee. Many times the salary is one of the last points discussed. If the salary is dependent upon the experience and qualifications of the candidate, make sure he understands where he stands at this level.

7. Be prepared. Have your list of questions (and the answers you hope to get) in front of you. Jot down notes as they answer. Be thorough with your questions concerning their past work history and their qualifications. Get all the necessary information first. Most of this you should already have on the resume. Again, clarify anything you don't understand or have questions on at this time. Don't hesitate to ask why they switched jobs three times during a two year span. That's a legitimate question that deserves an answer. But don't get too personal in your questions. Keep them related to the job position.

8. Give the person your full attention when they are talking. Listen carefully to their answers and the way they deliver them. Invite them to explain their qualifications as to how they relate to the position they are applying for. Encourage them to detail any experience they may have in that particular area. This is the time to let them talk. Executive positions usually carry with them some authority, so how they describe themselves can clue you in to their abilities to handle decision making. Last, ask them what questions they have concerning the job or salary.

9. Don't over extend the interview. Go through the interview efficiently and thoroughly, buy don't extend it so long that your secretary will think you've already put the person on the payroll. Don't make any promises you don't plan on keeping. For example, if you already know there is no way you will hire him or if he isn't qualified, don't make any promises that you will be in touch. The true professional thing to do would be to be honest and tell him that you are sorry, but you don't think that he is the right candidate for the job. That way he won't be waiting around hoping you will call. However, many hiring managers or human resource directors will want the opportunity to go back over the person's resume and interview before making a final decision. Or you may consider him to be a possible candidate and want a second meeting with him. You can signal the end of the interview by standing up and thanking him for coming in and for his time.

Now that you know the nine strategies for conducting executive interviews, you probably think you can become a hiring manager or human resource manager. Perhaps you can. There are several sites on the internet which will help you through the interviewing process. Some are for the interviewer and some are for the interviewee. They will guide you through the questions that most prospective employers will ask and the correct answers to those questions. One excellent guide to this can be found on the web at www.job-interview.net. It lists interviewing guides for several different fields or areas of employment. Just a few of them are acting, finance, legal, human resources, and project management. These guides are to help the interviewee answer questions asked by the prospective employer. They help give employers or department heads responsible for hiring a guideline of questions and answers. Some of the strategies are just good common sense ideas. Some are different, but work for the individual doing the interviewing. You can develop your own set of strategies by carefully weeding out un-necessary questions and information. One manager of a local company told me that he conducts his interviews with possible candidates in a quiet restaurant in the early afternoon. He says the relaxed atmosphere helps the candidate to open up more and feel less like he is on trial. Even though, in a sense he is. He is being judged and the verdict will be whether is hired or not.