Techniques for Interviewing Job Candidates

One of the most important ways for a company to learn about a potential candidate for a job opening is through an interview. It comprehends not only an applicant’s skills, but also their personality, approach to problems, and demeanor, to name a few. Being an interviewer is a difficult task because they must not only repeatedly ask and explain questions, but they must also scrutinize each and every applicant in order to find the right person for the right job. The next step after screening job applicants is to prepare for an interview. Recruiters can now conduct interviews using a variety of methods. You could conduct phone, video, or group interviews in addition to personal interviews. It is ideal to incorporate a variety of interviewing techniques into your hiring process. This helps interviewers choose the best candidate for the job.

We will go over the various types of interviewing methods in this section so you can decide which one is best for your company and hiring stage. It is not a game of chance to select the best interviewing method at the right time. Continue reading to learn more about each interviewing technique’s significance.

5 Interview Strategies

1. Telephone interview

Why is this usually the first stage of an interview? This interviewing method saves both the candidate and the recruiter time during the hiring process because it can be set up in as little as 15 minutes. A questionnaire can be created by the recruiter to get to know the candidate better and determine whether or not the applicant is ready to move on to the next stage of the hiring process.

At this stage, you can evaluate the candidate’s communication skills, confidence, work ethics, motivation, and critical thinking ability. You can also see if the applicant is likely to leave if hired. Questions should be asked about what skills they excel at, how their day-to-day looks, why they are looking for a job change, and what they expect from you as a company.

2. Videotaped interview

Live or recorded video interviews can be conducted. When you are unable to interview the candidate in person or want to observe the applicant’s body language, you use this interviewing method. This method is reliable for reading a candidate’s facial expression and determining their sincerity.

If you are unable to chat live due to time constraints or other commitments, a pre-recorded video interview is extremely useful. When evaluating candidates for managerial or executive positions, however, live video interviews are extremely useful. In this video, you can see their facial expressions, body language, and charisma.

The only difference between live video interviews and traditional personal interviews is that live video interviews are conducted remotely via some online apps. Employers conduct video interviews using a variety of apps. We have Skype, Zoom, Slack, Google Meet, Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, and FaceTime, to name a few. In terms of preparation and travel time, it would benefit both parties (for the applicant)

A pre-recorded video interview, also known as a one-way interview, involves the candidate answering the interviewer’s questions and then reviewing them. This video recording will then be sent as a link to the company email, or a copy of the video can be sent as an attachment.

3. Group interviews

The group interview method is recommended if you have a small number of positions to fill and a large number of applicants. It is a situation in which the interviewer sets up a meeting between two or more candidates for a single position. Employers will typically use this if they are looking for the right person with people skills, public speaking skills, a collaborative approach, and a team player.

The interviewer should prepare both group and individual questions. This will assist you in determining whether a candidate can articulate his thoughts, respect others while speaking, and demonstrate soft skills when disagreeing with another’s point of view. Group interviews also save employers time and money by reducing turnover; thus, this method is included as step two of their hiring process.

4. Discussion on a Panel

A panel interview, as opposed to a group interview, in which the interviewer hosts an interview with more than two applicants, involves an applicant answering questions from a group of executives. This interviewing method is frequently used to fill managerial or executive positions. When there are multiple points of view to consider and the position to be filled is critical to the company’s success, this is used. One of the C-suite executives will serve as chairperson, and the others will ask questions.

Panel interviews also evaluate a candidate’s ability to deal with pressure and stress, as well as their level of confidence and communication skills. Although this type of interview would necessitate more time away from work from various key positions within the company, it is a sure way to find the right person to fill a position that benefits everyone.

5. In-person Interview

The HR Manager or Hiring Manager will typically use this interviewing method as the final step in the hiring process. This face-to-face interview allows the Hiring Manager to determine whether the candidate profile fits the culture and, for some, whether there is chemistry between them and the potential employee.

This is also the stage at which the candidate presents and sells himself. As a result, it is advised that the interviewer be better prepared when conducting this interview in order to determine whether the candidate is qualified to work for the company. Although this method takes more time, there is no better way to conduct an interview than in person.

It is critical to understand the various types of interview methods as well as your company’s needs when establishing a recruiting process for your company. Choosing the number of stages in your recruiting process necessitates determining who will conduct the interviews at each stage. Your set of questions will also be critical in determining who is deserving of the position among the sea of applicants.