Finding the right candidate to fill a position isn’t easy. You’re probably familiar with the
headaches caused by a bad hire – not to mention the costs, which are estimated to be
2.5 times the position's annual salary if resolved within six months. However, the
average time to resolve a wrong hire issue is 1.5 years, according to Pierre Mornell,
columnist for Inc. magazine and author of the book, Hiring Smart. Now that’s a costly
mistake!
How you conduct interviews can affect how fairly each applicant is evaluated. It’s also
important to plan for successful interviews because problems in the interview process
often play a part in an inadequate hiring decision. Since busy professionals often only
spend about an hour or so getting to know a candidate before making a hiring decision,
you must make the most out of interview time.
Get savvy about your interview techniques and you’ll increase the likelihood that you get
the right person for the job!
Ask the right questions
There is no one set of questions that fits the bill for every interview. It’s all about asking
the right questions and understanding how the answers fit with the job. To do this, you
must have a solid understanding of the position description and the job tasks. Conduct a
thorough job analysis which should include a breakdown of all its core components and
areas of responsibility, as well as the personality traits, strengths and skills required to
effectively manage the duties.
Cater your questions to the job description and the core competencies that relate to
performing the position. Typically this involves asking questions about experience, skills,
abilities and cultural fit as relevant to the job and company.
One of the most accurate predictors of future performance is past performance.
Behaviour-based and performance-based questions give the interviewer a chance to
explore how the candidate has handled similar situations in the past by asking specific
situational questions. For example:
- Tell me about a time when you made a mistake at work.
- How do you deal with conflict? Give a specific instance.
- What experiences have you had working in a team environment?
Answers to these questions should prove the background listed on the candidate’s
application. Responses should demonstrate the candidate’s critical thinking, past
experiences and current skill sets.
Consider your Interview Format
There are two specific interview formats that interviewers can use – unstructured and
structured.
When an interviewer uses an unstructured interview format, no two interviews are the
same. The interviewer does not follow a set format or ask all the same questions of each
candidate. Candidates often experience different treatment during the interview process,
including being asked questions during the interview that back up an interviewers’ preconceived
notions or pre-interview impressions.
HR professionals find this format faulty because it doesn’t provide a fair and equal way
to evaluate and compare candidates. Unstructured interviews rarely paint a clear picture
of whether a candidate has the talent, skills and ability to perform the job well.
Some HR professionals believe that unstructured interviews provide a higher chance of
selecting the wrong candidate for the job. According to Mindy Chapman of
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, LLP, more than 70 per cent of those interviewed in this
format do not meet performance expectations after they start the job.
The structured interview creates a more level playing field for all of the candidates
interviewed for a position. The interview follows a formal structure so that each
candidate is asked the exact same questions. This format of interviewing provides a
more objective look at each candidate, and makes it easier to compare and evaluate
each candidate fairly.
Many organizations find it helpful to combine a formal evaluation process with the
structured interview to consistently evaluate each candidate. This can be done by
assigning a value to rate each candidate on his or her answers to each question or in
each area of competency. The weighted scores can than be added and compared
between interviewers to determine who most closely fits the position.
Smart companies create a game plan to find the most successful team members. Wellplanned
interviews are more likely to produce the best results for selecting a candidate
for a job.
While there isn’t an entirely foolproof method for identifying the ideal candidate, you can
undertake interviewing that’s fair for applicants and helps you better recognize who truly
is the best fit for the job.
Ceridian Corporation provides this information to its customers and friends for general
information purposes only. This information should not be construed as Ceridian
providing legal, tax or other advice to any specific individual or organization. Please
consult your appropriate adviser for specific advice.
This article previously appeared in Ceridian Canada’s e-newsletter, The Specialist,
October 2006 issue.
© 2007 Ceridian Corporation. All rights reserved.
Need a little help finding the most qualified applicants for interviews?
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contact Ceridian at 1-877-CERIDIAN.
Ceridian delivers best-practice Human Resource solutions to help customers acquire the best talent, pay their staff accurately and on time, improve HR decision-making and reporting, and drive employee engagement and wellbeing.
To learn more about our suite of HR solutions and how we can partner with your organization, click here or call us toll-free at 1-877-CERIDIAN.
