A successful screening interview can increase your chances of hiring the right people for the job.
Hiring the best candidate for the job starts with a successful screening interview. If done right, it can help you pick the most qualified applicants who would move further in the interview process and weed out everyone who did not make the cut. Since it plays a very important role in determining the success of the organization, you need to make sure that you do everything right to avoid ending up with an inappropriate hire. How do you conduct an effective screening interview? Here’s a step-by-step guide that can help.
How to Conduct a Successful Screening Interview
Be prepared. Review the candidates’ resumes to better understand their backgrounds and try to see if their social media presence reflects any questionable behaviors. Also, send them a job description to make sure they are ready for the interview.
Communicate clearly. Start the interview by providing accurate and detailed information about the company and what the position entails. It is also a good idea to ask about the candidate’s career aspirations before diving into his or her work history to make the candidate feel more comfortable and get an idea whether he or she possesses a wider set of skills and expertise.
Verify and assess. To verify the facts presented on the candidate’s resume, go through the applicant’s background verbally, identify gaps or any cause for concern, and clarify them. You should also assess whether the applicant’s skills and work experience will make him or her suitable for the job. To get good results, ask behavioral questions that will generate specific, action-oriented responses so you can gain more insightful information about the applicant.
Check for verbal and non-verbal clues. Observe the applicant’s verbal and non-verbal behaviors to get a more in-depth look into his or her personality and analyze what the clues are telling you. The best candidates are usually those who express interest and enthusiasm without being either overly manic or too subdued.
Wrap things up. Try to see whether the applicant is serious about securing the job. If not, then there is no point of going any further. You should also discuss things like salary and role expectations, along with the other requirements that need to be addressed (availability, commute, etc.). Make sure the candidate understands the hiring process so he or she can plan things well ahead of time, and don’t forget to ask if the candidate needs any additional information before ending the interview.
For a related article about the hiring process, CLICK HERE.
