Interview Techniques that Get Results

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With any opening, from the most entry-level unskilled position to top-tier clinician hires, interviewing is difficult. From each side of the desk, we’re revealing our best information and playing down our worst. Getting candidates to reveal information that helps you make a good hiring decision can be challenging. But a poor hiring decision can mean starting the process all over again, or even worse. Some of the most basic, and often overlooked, interview techniques can help you get the information you need.

Send and Receive

A great way to get an interview off and running before you’ve even met is to forward the job description to the candidate when you schedule the appointment. Ask him to review the information provided and be prepared to speak about the duties and responsibilities listed. Let the candidate know you’d be interested in discussing any comparable work he or she has performed in the past. This quick step sets you up to have meaningful discussions where the candidate is fully prepared to talk about her relevant background, rather than having to wait for her to think about what she may have done that is comparable.

Ask for any required certifications before the interview begins. You don’t want to waste your time or the applicants’ if they don’t meet the necessary requirements of the position.

Take Appropriate Notes

A major challenge for recruiters is to remember which candidate was which when you interview multiple people for an opening. Keeping them distinct when reviewing your notes can be difficult, particularly if they all have similar backgrounds. You may be tempted to include notes on what they wore, looked like, etc., to refresh your memory, but do not! This type of information could be considered discriminatory if you excluded an applicant in a protected class and your notes reflect that you made such a comment to the file. Include only work-related information, and use the appropriate terminology.

What the candidate wore to the interview isn’t relevant and will soon be forgotten. If, however, the applicant showed up wearing roller blades and a bike helmet, take note that he arrived for the interview in “unprofessional attire.”

Use the application to comment on work experience that translates to your opening: relevant education, required skills, or certifications. Circle or underline pertinent facts, adding any information revealed during your talk. Keeping all the information in a single source can be helpful, rather than trying to connect discrete notes to the appropriate resume later.

If your gut tells you there’s something questionable on a candidate’s application, use a highlighter and mark the area to remind yourself to double-check and verify the credentials presented.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Ask questions that elicit an essay response, rather than a yes/no answer. Yes/no questions get yes/no answers – not very revealing. Ask open-ended questions that require the applicant to expand on her resume. “Tell me about your responsibilities at XYZ,” or “What did you find most challenging in your last position?” require complete answers. The more they talk, the more they’ll reveal. The more they reveal, the more information you have to make a smart hiring decision.

80/20 Rule

Follow the 80/20 rule when interviewing: Speak 20% of the time; listen 80% of the time. For you, the interview is about getting information, not giving it. With open-ended questions, applicants should be speaking chiefly throughout the interview. Your job is simply to guide the discussion to topics relevant to your opening. When interviewing multiple candidates for the same opening, make a list of your open-ended questions for consistency across the interview process.

Silence is Gold

People are uncomfortable with silence and will keep speaking (and revealing) to fill the conversation gap. The more they speak, the more they disclose. When you don’t think you’ve gotten a sufficient answer to an open-ended question, ask them to tell you more. Then just listen – don’t be tempted to fill in any uncomfortable silences. When applicants talk, recruiters learn – about their point of view, their work ethic, and more. The more you know, the better hiring decision you can make.

Break Between Candidates

Even if you’ve scheduled a full day of interviews, plan 5 to 10 minutes between each to write down any notes on the application or resume before you move on to the next candidate. Include impressions to help you remember: well groomed, professional, personable, eager, etc. But remember to leave out any physical characteristics.

Making these basic interview techniques a part of your overall recruitment process can help have more relevant discussions and uncover more revealing information -- what you need to make long-term, successful hires.