Interviewer's dos and don'ts checklist (document)
Preparation
Do
Ensure the job description is up to date
Ensure the "person spefication" is realistic and comprehensive with education,
qualifications, experience and skills needed
Ensure you have got full approval to begin recruitment activity
Phone any internal candidate's current manager (where possible) to get a
reference and some idea of the employee's strengths and weaknesses. This may
help you in your interview questioning
Draw up an interview plan, including logically sequenced questions to be asked
Aim at asking questions that will gather evidence relevant to the person profile
Read the CV. Identify points from the CV that you need to query and add these
to your plan
Don't
Do anything until you have received the ok from your HR to start recruitment
activity
Rush or miss out putting a job description together. This forms the structure of
the interview and the basis for your questioning
Underestimate the value of preparing
Undertake this responsibility lightly. Your decision could effect someone's future
career
At the Interview
Do
Put the candidate at ease - offer them a drink
Explain the purpose of the interview
Outline the way the interview will be structured
Explain that you will be taking notes
Use your plan. Do not deviate from this as you will risk treating candidates
inconsistently
Have the plan but be flexible within it. Do not hammer out questions like a robot.
Try and get a flow going.
Listen. You have two ears and one mouth for a reason!
Concentrate on high quality evidence. Write notes with examples and
observations against each person profile criteria
Help the candidate to tell you as much about themselves that is as relevant as
possible
Give the interviewee a chance to ask questions and be as honest and thorough
as possible - there is no point in glossing over the bad bits as they will find these out
eventually
Don't
Ask irrelevant and/or illegal questions i.e. those referring to gender, marital
status, ethnic origin, disability, religious belief, age or sexual orientation
Let time get away with you - keep control! If someone is verbose ask questions
within limits or refine questions to be specific i.e. "give me oneexample of where
you..?" or "what were the two greatest contributors to your achieving your sales
target that year?"
Lose track. If the interviewee has diverted you away from your plan, ask for a
pause and review your plan, saying something like "I would just like to make sure I
have covered all the relevant ground."Â
Let the candidate get away with not answering the question. Be prepared to ask
it again (perhaps phasing it differently), or politely interrupt and say something like
"sorry, I am particularly interested in what you did when you were...?"
Use jargon
After the interview
Do
Write up your interview notes though this may seem time consuming it may
protect you and the company from legal action
Make a decision quickly (within one working day of the end of the
interview process)
Don't
Automatically exclude a candidate with a gap in their skills or experience, think
about whether this is trainable. You have an obligation to accommodate current
employees where at all possible
Go on unsubstantiated "gut feel" or subjective conclusions
Once you have made your decision on whom to offer the position
Do
Get the appropriate approval to offer the person
Communicate your decision quickly and thoroughly to the successful candidate
set yourself a time limit and keep to it
Make sure the candidate has all the information they need to make their
decision of whether to accept or not
Stay in touch with the candidate use this time to sell your opportunity but do not
over do it
Give constructive feedback to the unsuccessful candidates within a short space
of time ideally two working days after the interview process. If you need
further help on this, seek guidance from your HR department if possible.
Don't
Put unnecessary pressure on the employee to make a decision
Offer any changes to current terms and conditions
Make any future promises especially regarding salary, bonus increases,
promotions etc
Giving Feedback
Be constructive NOT destructive.
Focus on the positive BEFORE outlining the negative.
Use 'factual' evidence NOT personal feeling i.e. "You said...and the effect
was..." rather than "I feel you were too...at this point."
Be explicit and specific in your feedback.
Feedback is a gift - treat it as such both in the giving and the receiving.
Use feedback to inform NOT to advise.
Make it supportive RATHER than threatening.
Keep it simple and do not over do it.
The receiver is always allowed to question your feedback by asking for specific points.
