If you’re new to the art of interviewing job candidates, take note: interviewing from the hiring manager’s side of the desk is a lot different than being on the candidate side (something you probably know well from going on job interviews in your career).  Read below for some tips on how to interview like the boss you now are:

1. Don’t talk too much. Sure, you’re the boss and you’re in charge, but you need to listen – really listen – to what the job candidates have to say. You can’t learn about a candidate’s background, skills and even personality if you’re always gabbing. Talk about the position and the company, of course, but once you ask questions, stay quiet and let the candidate talk! Don’t be afraid to be silent; this can make candidates a bit nervous and they may offer you some more – insightful – information about their skills and personalities.
2. Know your candidates. That is, read their resumes thoroughly before the interview. Do some research. Google their names and check out their LinkedIn profiles. If possible, in addition to the questions you’ll ask all candidates, jot down some questions to ask each candidate depending on what you find on the resume.
3. Stop with the “so tell me about your weaknesses” type of questions. You’ve little time, the candidate has little time. You need to fill the position; the candidate needs a job (or a better one). So get to the point. Ask the harder questions (“Tell me about your experience doing this specific type of job.” “Tell me about this gap in your resume. What did you do during this time?”
4. Aim to ascertain if the candidate will fit in with your company. Most people who leave a company do so not because they can’t do the job, but because either a) they don’t like it there and/or b) no one else likes them there, either. In other words, the person just doesn’t fit – have the values – that make working there a good experience for the individual as well as your employees/clients.
5. Don’t ask “what would you do?” Ask, “What have you done?” If possible, ask candidates to bring a portfolio of their work with them to showcase their skills. If the position isn’t one that requires work samples, ask questions such as “Tell me about a time you had to handle an irate client or colleague. What did you do? What was the outcome? What did you learn?” Or, “What’s the average number of cold calls you’ve made in a day or week?” The reason for this is that humans tend to do in the future what they’ve done in the past. Asking these “what have you done?” questions can give you insight into what you can expect from a candidate should you hire him or her.

If your Inland Empire company needs help with interviewing candidates, call upon the recruiting experts at Arrow Staffing. We’ve been interviewing job applicants for more than 40 years, so we’ve learned a thing or two about getting to the good stuff when it comes to interviews. Contact us today.