Years ago, I joined a district office of the SA Co-operative Citrus Exchange as a field officer. There were three of us, with a Girl Friday who acted as our receptionist, switchboard operator and typist. She was leaving and we needed a replacement. I was invited to participate in the job interview. It was a cheerless environment: bare walls and floor, a single hanging roof light, and discoloured, flyblown Venetian blinds on the windows.
READ:Perspective – do you have it?
There was only one applicant. A straight-backed chair was placed in the centre of the room for her. We arranged our desk chairs in a semi-circle around this chair. Esmé – I still remember her name – was a well-dressed, dignified middle-aged woman. She sat down and I can still see the look of anxiety as she faced these three wet-behind-the-ears youngsters.
The interview was a disaster. Esmé was so nervous she could hardly speak. We argued amongst ourselves about what the job entailed as we tried to get our questions answered. Some 45 minutes later, Esmé left in tears. We were all mortified, and for some months had to do our own typing and share switchboard duty as well as call on citrus farmers!
There are few situations more nerve-racking than a job interview. If it’s badly handled, an interviewee can end up stammering and uttering banalities as he or she tries to cope. It is impossible in this situation for the interviewer to make an informed judgement of the applicant.
The correct way
With the job advertisement behind you, the job applications reviewed and references checked, you don’t want to make a mess of the interview. Here’s how to go about it:
- A pleasant welcome: The interview environment should be informal and relaxed. Ensure that the interviewee is welcomed and looked after while he or she waits. Clear your desk and show that you have prepared; this demonstrates respect for the interviewee.
- Small talk: Never sit behind a desk and face the interviewee.Use a coffee table and easy chairs. Start the discussion with casual talk about the weather and sport, and the interviewee’s hobbies or interests.
- Two-way: Move on to discuss the purpose of the interview, emphasising that it’s a two-way process. The company must make sure that the person suits the job, but the candidate also has to be certain that the job will suit him or her.
- Résumé: Work through the candidate’s résumé, posing open-ended questions. Get the person to do most of the talking. Don’t ask ‘Why’ questions at this stage as these place unnecessary pressure on the applicant and call for a justification or defence.You want to find out about matters that are never obvious from a CV. For example, the candidate’s parents’ jobs, home environment when growing up, spouse, and children – these answers can reveal valuable pointers to the person’s values.This is also the right time to discuss the candidate’s previous jobs. Ask about the person’s roles, reasons for leaving, relationship with boss and peers, and so forth.
- Job: Tell the interviewee about the business and the job, what the person’s role will be, the objectives, the performance expected and the challenges.Encourage the candidate to ask questions about the company and the job. These often disclose valuable information about his or her maturity and capacity to add value to the business.
- Go deeper: By now, hopefully, the candidate is relaxed and talking openly. Use the opportunity to dig deeper with probing questions which enable you to judge the person’s problem- solving and thinking skills. These are the ‘How’ and ‘Why’ questions.
- ‘Why’ questions asked in succession drill down to root causes and feelings. But use these with care, as this high-pressure questioning may inhibit sensitive or nervous people from demonstrating their true capabilities. Think about how your questions will make the interviewee feel. Your aim is to understand, not intimidate, the person. Ask the candidate what steps he or she would take to solve a problem in the prospective job. A few questions like these will soon demonstrate if the person concerned has the skill and capacity to do the job.
- Last minute: Finally, give the candidate the opportunity to ask any further questions. Issues which emerge at the last minute can provide valuable insights into the candidate’s personality.
Not quite yet
The moment of truth has finally arrived. Will you appoint the person? But wait – if you still have some doubts and there is more than one candidate to choose from, you still have work to do. It’s called psychometric testing. But more about that next time.
