How to Get Information Out Of Your Candidates during an Interview

Updated on

When beginning the hiring process, the end goal is to get the best and most qualified candidate. For most employers, the best solution to help them achieve this is by engaging job agencies to recruit for them. While others, prefer to conduct the whole process or partially do it for themselves.

Both choices could lead you to get your desired candidate. However, what makes the difference is how you engage them in the process. Most specifically, during the interview. Many may ask why this is the most important step in the onboarding process. Job agencies will tell you that this is the only step where you engage in a one-on-one conversation with the candidate and get information out of them.

In this article, I share tips to help you leverage the interview stage to get to know your applicants and select the best fit.

1. Prepare in advance

It is essential to prepare early enough to help both you and the candidate exhaust every significant area in the dialogue. You can achieve this by preparing a detailed job description and deriving relevant questions from it. In addition, as you prepare, avoid using structured questions on the internet and rather customize them to fit the role in question.

2. Focus on open-ended questions

Traditionally, recruiters asked many closed questions and did not give room for the job seeker to explain themselves. In the current error, the open-ended questions with a mix of closed questions work best in getting the right candidate. This is because as you get to find answers to fixed questions you also give them room to elaborate on the details listed on their CVs and how they can apply them in the role they are interviewing for.

3. Provide information about your company

Although professionals are always advised to research the company before heading in for interviews, there is information that only you as the employer can provide. Doing this during the interview helps you ask specific questions about the role and their general contribution to the company’s success by providing a perspective.

In a nutshell, interviews have moved from a structured format to a more dynamic and involving engagement. Therefore, it is advisable to engage your prospects and prepare adequately for the same. Alternatively, engage a seasonal recruitment firm that can conduct in-depth interviews for your organization.