Hiring the right talent is crucial for the success of any property business.
Serving as a window into both a candidate’s capabilities and your organisation’s culture, interviews are a critical element of the recruitment process.
As a hiring manager, refining your interview skills can significantly impact your ability to find the perfect fit for your team.
This insight explores ten practical tips to help you improve your interviewing techniques and make better hiring decisions:
1. Preparation is Key
The groundwork you do before the interview is crucial to its success.
Review all CVs, cover letters, and if you have used a head-hunter or executive search firm, review their notes in detail. Pay special attention to each candidate’s career journey and their key achievements. Highlight any gaps in employment that you feel may need further discussion.
This will help you understand their career path, skills and experiences. Note specific points that either align with or differ from your requirements.
Matching this information to the job description will help identify areas where their experience relates to the role’s responsibilities.
Preparing a list of questions tailored to both the role and the candidate’s background, will allow you to cover all the essential topics.
If appropriate, include technical questions and behavioural scenarios.
Use your experience and knowledge of the company and the position to add in examples of situations they might encounter in the role. This will allow you to assess their problem-solving approach in direct relation to the position.
Make sure you leave enough time to explore any interesting tangents, that might come up in your conversation, or areas where you might want to dig a little deeper.
2. Create a Comfortable Environment
A relaxed candidate will be more likely to give transparent and insightful answers. This will lead to a more productive interview for both sides.
Start by welcoming them warmly. Build rapport with light conversation to help reduce any anxiety.
Giving them a moment to settle in, can help ease any initial nerves. Even small gestures like offering them a drink can go a long way.
If this is the first time you have met the candidate, introducing yourself goes without saying or if you haven’t communicated prior to the interview, briefly share your role in the business.
If this is the first interview in the process, take the time to provide details on the company, the role and the benefits of joining the business. Outline the current vision and strategy for growth.
Take a moment to give an overview of the interview process. Run through the format, expected duration, and what comes next in the hiring journey.
Think about the physical environment as well. A clean, well-lit interview space free from distractions, will help you and the candidate stay focussed.
If you’re conducting virtual interviews, test your technology beforehand. Have a backup plan in place for any technical issues.
If any scheduling issues arise, let the head-hunter know at the earliest opportunity, so they can keep the candidate at ease and rearrange the appointment as required.
A comfortable setting will help candidates feel at ease. It will allow their true personality to shine through and give you a more accurate picture of their potential fit.
3. Ask Open-Ended Questions
Think about the types of questions you use.
Closed questions that elicit simple yes/no responses will give you limited information about a candidate.
Opting for open questions will reveal more about their capabilities and thought processes. Questions that encourage detailed replies, will give you an idea of how a candidate would approach different situations.
Questions like, “Can you describe a time when you overcame a significant challenge and what did you learn as a result?” or “How do you handle conflicting ideas in a team environment?”
When asking behavioural questions, don’t be afraid to give candidates a framework to structure their answers on.
Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), for example, will help them provide concrete examples of their experience.
Questions like, “Tell me about a time when you had to lead a team through a difficult transition. What did you do and what were the outcomes?” Or, “Describe a situation where you had to influence stakeholders with opposing views?”
These types of interview questions will help you understand their thought process, problem-solving skills, and experience of tackling complex situations.
4. Ask Standardised Questions
Having a set list of questions that you ask each candidate, will provide a uniform basis for comparing responses, and lead to more objective decision-making.
It doesn’t mean that you have to follow a rigid script, but having a set number standardised questions, will allow a more consistent evaluation of all candidates. It will ensure that each one is assessed based on the same criteria.
Asking common interview questions, will eliminate bias and give every candidate the same opportunity to demonstrate their skills and qualifications.
Taking a uniform approach to your questions, will also help you, as the interviewer, prepare more effectively. You will know exactly what to ask and what to look for in candidates’ responses.
5. Practise Active Listening
Interviews are more than just asking the right questions. They’re an opportunity to get to know and observe candidates.
Rather than starting to think about the next question, listen actively.
Maintain eye contact. Nod to show engagement. Using verbal acknowledgments will also encourage candidates to elaborate.
Try not to interrupt, even if you’re eager to clarify something. This can disrupt their thought process and make them feel less comfortable to share more detailed responses.
Take a mental note of interesting points. Asking thoughtful follow-up questions will help you dive deeper into their answers.
Pay attention to non-verbal cues and body language, as these can often reveal as much as the words they speak.
When a candidate has finished speaking, reflect back by summarising their key points. This will ensure mutual understanding and demonstrate that you’ve actively listened to their responses.
Don’t forget to smile and be welcoming. You’re an ambassador for the business. Even if you don’t want to proceed with the candidate further, it’s still important to ensure the candidate has a positive experience.
On the flip side be candid with the candidate, if they are not the right candidate for the position, don’t be over encouraging and ‘lead them on’ or they will exit the process confused as to how such an outcome came about.
6. Weigh Up Cultural Fit
Whilst a candidate’s skills and experience will be vital for the role, don’t overlook whether they’ll fit with your company culture.
An interview is your chance to observe how the candidate’s values and working style will not only fit with your company’s mission and culture, but add to it. It will also be a good chance to understand their motivation for applying or their reasons for seeking a new role.
Discuss their preferred work environment, communication style, and what they value most in a workplace.
Ask about their experience of working in a team and how they’ve contributed to company culture in previous roles.
You may want to create scenarios – based on your company’s cultural values – and ask candidates how they would handle them.
If ‘innovation’ is a core value, ask for examples of how they’ve challenged conventional thinking or implemented creative solutions, and what the positive impact has been.
Cultural fit is so important for long-term success and retention, for both employer and employee.
7. Re-emphasise Important Information about the Role
Transparency about the role and company is crucial for making a successful hire.
Although the candidate will likely have a good grasp of the position, it never hurts to talk it through again in the interview.
Share detailed information about the team dynamics, daily responsibilities, and future growth opportunities. Talk about your company culture, values and long-term goals. Discuss the specific projects they might work on in the short and long term
Highlight both the opportunities and challenges they may face in the role. This will help you, the hiring manager, make a more informed decision about their fit for the job.
Be prepared to discuss workplace policies, remote work options, and other practical considerations that might influence their, and your decision.
8. Take Notes
Making notes during an interview is essential. It will help you compare and evaluate each candidate objectively.
Document key points, such as any stand-out answers, impressive achievements, as well as areas that might need further discussion or clarification.
Throughout the interview, it’s important to record a candidate’s technical capabilities and the soft skills they demonstrate through their responses.
This information will be invaluable at the end of the interview stage, when you come to compare candidates and make your final decision.
Taking notes also shows candidates that you value their time and input. It’s important to maintain a balance of gathering information and staying engaged in the conversation.
It may therefore be helpful to have a peer support you with this. They can be responsible for recording the key details while you keep the conversation flowing. Having a colleague on hand to do, will help you maintain eye contact and build rapport.
9. Practice Empathy
As an interviewer, you will know that interviews can be stressful experiences for candidates. It’s important to acknowledge this.
Creating a supportive atmosphere throughout the process, will help you see the ‘best’ of each candidate.
If you’re asking more complex questions, allow them time to gather their thoughts before answering. You should also offer encouraging, non-verbal cues to help them feel more at ease. Nodding, keeping eye-contact, hand gestures and positive facial expressions are all examples that can make a difference.
Be patient with nervous candidates, or any technical issues they may experience, and remain approachable throughout the interview.
If a candidate struggles with a particular question, you may want to rephrase it or provide additional context to help them understand what you’re looking for.
Being empathetic will encourage candidates to share their true selves, and help you better understand their potential fit within your team and business.
10. Leave Time for Questions
Allowing time for questions during or at the end of the interview, will be beneficial for you and the candidate.
The questions candidates ask, will help you understand their genuine interest in the role and desire to join your business.
It will also help clarify any uncertainties or concerns the candidate may have about the role, expectations, or company culture. Your answers will ensure candidates have absolute clarity of what the job entails, and alleviate any reservations they might have.
Encouraging questions also shows that you appreciate their input and respect their perspective. It shows how your company values two-way communication, demonstrating a culture of openness and transparency.
Final Thoughts
Like any skill, improving your interview techniques is a journey. It comes with practice, reflection and being intentional. The more you do it, the better you will be.
Preparing well, creating a comfort in the conversation, asking insightful questions, and listening actively, will help you identify the best candidate for your team, culture and business.
Remember, an interview is a two-way process. Candidates will be evaluating your company, the culture and the role, as much as you are assessing them.
That’s why it is so important to give each applicant a positive experience.
A well-conducted interview will leave a lasting impression and set the stage for successful hiring decisions that benefit both your organisation and the new hire.
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