The standard style of interviewing is a tried and true method used by most employers around the world. Most candidates enter an interview expecting the same questions:
- “Tell me about yourself.”
- “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
- “Describe a time when you had to overcome an obstacle.”
- “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Because of this predictability, you might find you aren’t having the most successful interviews. Your applicants come in knowing what to expect with prepared answers, making them seem like the right fit, but then a few months down the road you realize they presented a clever spiel. Instead of feeling trapped by this, find ways to change your interview style for each interview.
Keep it creative
Naturally, you’ll need to learn a little about your interviewee’s qualifications, but if they’ve made it this far, it’s likely you know they’re capable. Try shaking up your process and ditching the standard questions. This will cause them to think on their feet, showing you how well they work under pressure. From a candidate’s perspective, this might be terrifyingly refreshing because it’s a break from the norm and a chance to showcase themselves in a different way.
Go deeper
You have their resume in front of you, so don’t spend the entire time going through each item. Avoid asking for a summary of their experiences; instead, go deeper into what they’ve done and learn how it relates to the position at your company. You can learn more about your candidate this way, especially in the way they answer.
Adjust on the fly
Some candidates will come in confident and others much more reserved. Switch up your strategy as needed in these situations to get to a place where they’re able to appropriately answer your questions. This means you’re pushing more with introverts and pulling extroverts back.
Save time with Atlanta’s most dedicated staffing professionals
At Staffing Resources, we understand the challenges of interviewing and the hours that go into selecting the right candidate. Our goal is to bring you the best potential employees through temporary or contract staffing, temp-to-hire and direct hire. More than recruiting, we can help you with other HR tasks like exit interviews, training, background checks, drug testing and more. Let us use our knowledge to help you and contact us today!