#1 – Choose an interview location

The first consideration in terms of how to conduct an interview is to consider the location, as it plays a pivotal role in the interview’s effectiveness. A quiet place will allow you to connect with a candidate  without distractions, and unless colleagues will be included, it’s recommended you hold it in a location where you can maintain a private, one-on-one conversation. That way, the candidate won’t feel pressured by people nearby who may overhear them!

If your business is located in a traditional office space, make sure you reserve the interview room as soon as possible. For more relaxed company cultures, you may want to conduct the interview in a causal setting like a lounge area or in an off-site cafe. Make sure everything is organised beforehand to ensure an effective experience, which will leave the candidate with a good impression of your busine

#2 – Prepare interview questions

Interview questions can help to give insights into a candidate’s credentials, but also help with workforce planning, business productivity and HR management. Interview questions should be based on the job requirements and the candidate’s CV. The number of questions depends on where your candidates are at in the interview process.

Open-ended behavioural interview questions allow candidates to elaborate on their experience and skills, display their ability to tackle challenging topics, and help you assess their critical communication and thinking skills. Questions should also cover cultural fit and their ambitions.

Questions should also be legal as asking questions that may disadvantage people could amount to discrimination. According to the Australian Human Rights Commission, interviewers should not seek unnecessary and potentially discriminatory information from applicants.

#3 – Review the candidate’s resume and cover letter

One of the most important things when planning how to conduct an interview is to take the time to carefully review each candidate’s cover letter and resume before the interview. This will help you prepare the right questions, guide the conversation, and gain better insights into how well the candidate’s experience and skills match the job on offer. It’s also important that you don’t form any preconceived opinions or ideas about candidates’ suitability for the role. Try and keep an open mind and give candidates a fair chance. During the interview, encourage conversation by asking the candidate to elaborate on some of the detail in their resume and clarify any unusual job titles, “job hopping” or employment gaps 

#4 – Interviews should be conversational

You are looking for the best candidate to hire, but your candidates are also looking for the right organisation and the right role . Hence, start the interview by building rapport with the candidate to make them feel more comfortable. You should then give a short introduction to yourself, the company and the role you are hiring for.

Avoid giving generic, unstructured information. Instead, bring the opportunity to life for the candidate by discussing the company’s purpose, objectives and culture. Explain how the role has evolved, why it’s important to the company’s objectives and purpose, and what a typical working day might look like. Ultimately, you want them to feel excited about the role and be able to picture themselves in it.

Your candidates will probably already know about the role’s remuneration details, but it’s also worth mentioning any company perks like additional paid leave and discounts on health and wellbeing services.

#5 -Explain the next steps

At the end of the interview, explain how to the process will work. Depending on the size of your organisation, several interviews may be required, including with management and senior leaders.

During the applicant assessment process, organisations often assign applicants one or more standardised tests. These can measure a wide range of variables including reasoning, emotional intelligence, reading comprehension, personality traits and problem-solving ability. Background checks are also often required to verify criminal records, employment history and eligibility. The candidate should be alerted that this will happen.

#6 – Let them ask questions

When considering how to conduct an interview, it’s important to remember that it’s a two-way street and the candidate should be given the opportunity to ask questions. They can include asking about job challenges, future promotion, pay increases and work/life balance. So, you should be prepared to answer them truthfully and succinctly. 

#7- Conducting a group interview

A group interview is an interview technique where several candidates are interviewed simultaneously for similar positions. They are best used when you need to find a large number of employees quickly.

Typically, you would pose hypothetical problems to the group as well as group activities that require the candidates to work as a team to find a solution. This technique allows you to observe the candidates’ interactions and how well they work as a team. Group questions will also allow you to observe candidates’ soft skills such as problem solving and interpersonal communication

#8 – Conducting a remote interview

Video job interviews are a popular choice, particularly with the challenges of COVID. However, they do require preparation. Ensure your candidate has an agenda, knows who will be involved, and instructions on the video conferencing platform. The interview should be conducted in a room with a door you can close it to avoid interruptions. To make a good first impression, turn off phone alerts and ensure you’re well lit and well framed. And check your audio!

As in a face-to-face interview, use your body language to show genuine interest in the candidate’s answers. And before asking a new questions, take a slight pause to ensure the candidate has finished talking.

#9 – Follow up after the interview

When you are planning how to conduct an interview, the last important tip is to follow up with candidates. Even if you decide you will not move forward with them, you should still let them know. Ideally, you would send an email explaining what they did well and why you made your decision. Following up shows that you respect their time and effort. It will also ensure you’ve created a positive candidate experience and enhanced your organisation’s reputation.

Once you’ve made your decision, a phone call is the best way to alert successful candidates of the good news. At this stage, you might be extending them an offer or scheduling in the next round of interviews.

Knowing how to conduct an interview is a critical part of the recruitment process. Up-skill in your current role or gain insights into finding the right candidates for your organisation with our HR and recruitment courses.