6 steps to become a successful interviewer

The time has come to interview potential candidates, which means you have the power, pressure and ultimate decision on whether they are a perfect fit for your team.

If you’ve not interviewed before, it’s normal to feel nervous as the idea can be fairly daunting. To calm your nerves and find the perfect candidate follow our top tips.

1- Prepare
The person who you are interviewing will have spent time preparing for the interview, so ensure you have done the same. Whether it’s booking an interview room, being on time, making notes on their CV or writing down potential questions; being prepared will calm your nerves.

2- Questions
You only have a limited time when interviewing somebody, so make sure you ask the relevant questions.  Prepare a list of questions to cover their skills and abilities for the role but also whether they’ll be the right fit for the team.

3- Know what you want
You will have a good idea of the type of candidate you are wanting to hire, but by differentiating between ‘must have’ and ‘nice to have’ will make sure you pick the most suitable person for the job.

4- Second opinion
Most employment processes mean there will be a second interview which another manager or a senior member of the team could join you for. By having another person present and getting a second opinion, can help you feel more comfortable and assured in your decision.

5- Set a task
It’s good to set the candidate a task for the second interview that relates to the job you’re looking to fill to get first hand experience of how they approach their work. This is also an opportunity to check that their abilities match up to their CV too.

6 -Why do they want to work for you?
A job interview works both ways. It’s not just a time for the candidate to showcase themselves but also an opportunity to highlight your business and what you can offer potential employees. A few ways to do this is to be clear on how you stand out from your competitors, explaining to the candidate what is expected of them, what the team they will be working with is like, benefits and opportunities available.

If you are looking for support or have any questions, get in touch with the team at Rapid Recruit today and ensure you get the perfect candidate for your team.