Interview Tips for Interviewers
Make notes of the questions you intend to ask.
Decide the essential things you need to learn and prepare questions to probe them.
Plan the environment - privacy, no interruptions, ensure the interviewee is looked after while they wait.
Put the interviewee at ease - it's stressful for them, so do not make it any worse.
Begin by explaining clearly and concisely the general details of the organization and the role.
Ask open-ended questions
Make sure the interviewee does 90% of the talking.
High pressure rarely exposes hidden issues - calm, relaxed, gentle, clever questions do.
Probe the CV/resume/application form to clarify any unclear points.
If possible, and particular for any position above first-line, use some form of psychometric test, or graphology, and
have the results available for the interview, so you can discuss them with the interviewee.
The Interview Process
Employers can avoid most hiring mistakes by simply spending a little more time preparing for the interview in
advance. To do a wonderful job of preparing for interviewing and present one's company professionally the following
points must be considered:
Before the Interview
1) Determine your options - Which skills are vital as opposed to convenient.
2) If other people are going to be involved in the interview process, make sure they have taken the time to prepare for
the interview. Each person should have a couple of overlap questions to provide insight on the prospective
employee's responses.
3) Have company information available for candidates.
4) Allow plenty of time for the interview.
5) Have detailed information about the candidate.
During the Interview
1) Interview the person, not the skill set.
Ask questions that are, broad, open-ended, job-related, objective, meaningful, direct, clear, understood & related.
2) Be open and honest with the candidate.
3) Tell the candidate what to expect in the hiring process.
4) Tell them your expectations: career advancement, training, duties, experience expected, the direction the
department is headed in.
5) Show the candidate where they would fit into the organization.
6) Don't talk money.
Closing the Interview
1) Ensure that you and the candidate have concluded on common ground.
2) Ask if she/he has any other questions.
3) At the end of the interview, if you are interested in the candidate, let them know.
4) Review the next steps with a clear and honest timetable (and stick to it).
5) Be friendly and honest to the end of the interview; don't give false encouragement or go into details for rejection.
After the Interview
1) Take time to update the next person in the interview process.
2) Discuss the candidates’ reaction and interest. 3) Rate the applicant on a 1-5 scale as a potential employee.
Pay & Benefits
Wages/ salary details
Rate of overtime work (if eligible for overtime pay)
Any other cash benefits that the employee is entitled to
Any payment in kind that the employee is entitled to and the value of that payment (e.g.
accommodation)
Any deductions to be made from the employee's remuneration (e.g. Pension / Medical Aid)
Method of payment and method of calculating wages
Additional benefits, and any conditions under which they apply, e.g. achievement of targets
Pension scheme - whether one exists, and if so conditions
Approvals for any deductions from pay, e.g. pension scheme other than those required by law
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Nature of Contract
Type of contract: permanent, temporary, fixed term
Duration of a temporary contract or termination date for a fixed term contract
Period of notice required to terminate employment, or if employment is for a specified period, the date when
employment is to terminate
Hours of Work, Schedules, And Overtime
Number of hours in workweek and workday. · Procedure for
scheduling.
Alternative work schedules/flex-time.
Definition of overtime & pay or compensatory time off
Advance notice of overtime & right to refuse overtime
Staffing and workload standards.
Meal and rest periods.
Timekeeping and attendance requirements
Leaves
Annual leave entitlement
Role of seniority in scheduling vacations.
Conditions relating to taking leave, e.g. present company holidays or notice
requirements
Details of any other paid leave entitlements
Sick leave arrangements and conditions of any benefits
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Disciplinary Procedures
Details of the disciplinary procedure
Conditions under which the employer can terminate the contract e.g. gross
misconduct
Grievance Procedure
Definition of a grievance.
Stewards' right to use work time for grievance investigations.
Employees' right to union representation.
Explanations of each step in grievance procedure and time limits at each
step.
Health & Safety
Employer and employee responsibilities
Protection Of Business Information
Details of confidentiality requirements
Use and mis-use of electronic communications and Internet
About Probation Period
Purpose & duration of the probationary period
Benefits that will come into effect when the probationary period is
completed
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Performance Evaluation
Criteria & frequency for evaluations.
Retirement Policy
Any Other Condition, Like,
Any collective or 3rd party agreement which affects the employee's terms and conditions
Uniforms And Tools
Allowance for or provision of uniforms and/or tools for affected employees.
Acceptance
Acceptance clause whereby employees sign that they accept the contract of employment and conditions therein.
Top 5 Interview Questions
Tell something about yourself
This is one of the most common questions asked and usually this question is asked by the interviewer to know more
about you. But then he is not interested in knowing about your parents or children or your pets. The interviewer wants
to know more about your qualifications, your experience, your work, your interests, your strengths so that he or she
gets a sense of who you really are and whether you match the job on offer. This also helps your interviewer in
assessing your communication skill which is a critical skill for almost all jobs. This is the time to "sell yourself" and let
the recruiter know why you are fit for the job.
Why did you leave your last job or why do you want to leave your present job?
Now this is a tricky question. The reasons for leaving can be personal or professional. You cannot say that you hate
your last job and so you left. As a rule, you should never bad mouth your previous employer. This displays a negative
attitude and could also put doubts about your work performance in the mind of the interviewer. You can say its for
more professional growth or salary growth, or there was a change in department in the previous organization, or to
join an organization which is a brand etc.
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Why should we hire you?
For this you should be fully aware of what your new job requirement is. Check out the company's website and talk to
other employees, if possible. From there, you can develop a appropriate response to this question. Don't go
overboard. State how the job requirement matches with your experience and profile. State your skills. Present
yourself in the best light. Don't say subjective things like "I am very keen on working with you and I will put in our best
efforts". Focus on whatever skills/expertise/learning from your previous job and how you can fit those in the
prospective job. This displays a positive attitude and the employer sees you as someone who's open to learning and
self-development.
Where do you see yourself 5 years or so from now?
This question is asked to learn your long-term career plans and goals. So avoid saying "I want to gain experience and
do the best I can in this business/industry" or "I see myself in your place/position". Present a more larger view of
what's the kind of work you see yourself doing and the skills you want to gain to reach that level of work. Think of
some job related ambitions that you want to achieve and look at how you can reach your goals.
Why do you want to join us or our company?
Just do some research of the company you have applied. If it is brand organization, you can say that brand name
counts. This question is asked to assess your knowledge of the company and whether you are a good fit. You as a
prospective candidate should know exactly what the company is looking for and what the company is all about. An
interviewer will prefer those applicants who demonstrate a thorough understanding of the company and the individual
position. You can also discuss about what good things the other employees speak for this company, how the
company values its employees which are important to you.
For any interview, always be honest. Always remember that your employer can easily make out when you lie by your
body language and expressions. Be truthful. Be confident but not over confident. There is no scarcity of similarly
qualified and experienced candidates as yourself. What sets you apart from others is your attitude and preparedness
for the interview. So spare time to prepare over such questions before you walk through that interview door.
Job descriptions are typically used to drive recruitment campaigns, set expectations for new workers, establish salary
grade levels for groups of jobs, and align individual goals and activities with an organization's strategic objectives.
With job descriptions essential to so many human resource functions, it's particularly important that companies take
the time to write their organizations' descriptions. A good job description follows a simple but consistent format that
describes key roles played by that job, as well as "essential functions."
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GUIDANCE ON WRITING JOB DESCRIPTIONS (checklist)
A job description should clearly and accurately set out the duties and responsibilities of the job. It should include:
Job specifications
JOB TITLE
Accurate titles reflecting the function and level of the job.
THE DEAPRTMENT
POSITION
Stating the job title the employee is responsible to, as well as titles of those reporting to the job holder.
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Concisely stating the overall purpose of the job, the principal role of the job holder and the expected contribution
to achieving objectives
MAIN TASKS
Identifying the tasks and include the objective or purpose of each task.
SEPARATE DESCRIPTIONS OF MAIN TASKS
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Equipment, tools, special skills.
LOCATION - Of the job and travelling needed.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Night work, overtime, weekend working
SIGNED AGREEMENT BY POSTHOLDER & DATE
Person specification
A person specification allows you to define the skills, experience, competencies and qualifications required to carry
out the activities outlined in the job description, identify the desirable criteria in the following four categories.
EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
EXPERIENCE
WORK BASED COMPETENCIES
(i.e. what does the candidate need to be able to do such as use Excel, deliver training or work in French etc.)
BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES
(Such as the ability to influence people, identify problems and work together with a team to find solutions,
demonstrate personal drive, ability to work alone, to communicate effectively orally and in written reports etc.)
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The language used in job descriptions should:
Avoid jargon and unexplained acronyms and abbreviations
Be matched to the type of job and be readily understood by the employees concerned.
Avoid ambiguity about responsibility and be clear about the post-holder’s accountability for results
and resources.
Points to remember
Try to give as much information as possible to allow candidates to make an informed and
rational decision about their suitability for a post.
Consider any legal requirements i.e. work and travel permissions that might prevent a candidate
from working in a specific country.
Provide relevant details of climate/security/isolation that candidates need to consider before
apply for a post
Checklist For Hiring The Best
A bad hire can wreak havoc on even the most professional organizations and highly trained staff.
An organization's continued growth and success depend on making smart choices and hiring the best. Today's
economy is exploding with talent, allowing one to be selective about the staff one hire. Yet, the crucial step to filling a
position is finding the right talent for the organization - someone that has the skills for the job, easily blends with the
culture, interacts well with the team and believes in the company's mission.
Recruiting the best employees for your organization is an ongoing challenge for every manager, supervisor and
human resources professional. Hiring the best talent requires both an aggressive, relationship-based recruiting
strategy to find the right people, and a highly effective evaluation methodology to select the best candidate for every
position.
For any given job category, the important items that should be on one's hiring checklists are:
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What constitutes a "Good Fit"
define the outcomes desired from the person you hire.
Define the Job Specification -
develop a job description that clearly describes the performance responsibilities of the person you hire.
Write a Job Requirement Checklist.
Develop the largest pool of qualified candidates possible.
(Search via professional associations, personal contacts, universities, search firms, and other creative sources
when necessary.)
Decide on the Recruitment Methods.
Select the Best Method for the Job.
Pre-screen the Resumes.
Prepare for the Interview.
Devise a careful candidate selection process that includes culture match, testing, behavioral interview questions,
customer interviews and tours of the work area.
Set questions
Although it will take a time investment, you should have a strong list of questions ready before you begin
interviewing a candidate.
Second Interview
Conduct at least two interviews with a candidate before hiring him or her, especially if the position is very
important.
Think about Pay and Title Equity.
Manage the Interview.
Background Check.
Perform appropriate background checks that include employment history, education, criminal records, credit
history, drug testing and more.
Make the Hiring Decision.
Finalize an Offer Package.
Provide training, education and development to build a superior workforce.
Employee retention and education begin with a positive employee orientation. The orientation should give the new
employee a complete understanding of the flow of the business, the nature of the work, benefits and the fit of his or
her job within the organization.
Provide ongoing technical, developmental, managerial, safety, lean manufacturing and/or workplace organization
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training and education regularly. The type of training depends on the job. Some experts recommend forty or more
hours of training a year per person.
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