Interview Best Practices For Employees

Create A Position Description

A position description is also sometimes called a job description. It gives you a clear understanding of the type of person youre looking for, as well as their roles and responsibilities.

If youre replacing an employee, review the previous position description. Based on your analysis of the staff structure, you may need to update the position description to reflect the new role.

A good position description includes:

• the job title
• who the new employee reports to
• who reports to the new employee
• which section or department the position sits in
• a summary of the job
• a summary of the business
• the employment type
• the key responsibilities of the role
• essential and desirable selection criteria the applicant needs to respond to
• any skills, knowledge, experience or education required for the role
• desirable personal attributes to fit the businesss culture

You should create your position descriptions from scratch. Other businesses may have roles with the same title, but the person they want may be completely different from your requirements.

Find handy recruitment templates including a job description and job advertising template.

Why Should We Hire You

Related: Why Should We Hire You? Tips + Example Answer

Jenn explains what interviewers ask the question Why should we hire you, strategies for crafting a strong answer plus an example.

While this question may seem like an intimidation tactic, interviewers generally ask to offer another opportunity to explain why youre the best candidate. Your answer should address the skills and experience you offer, why youre a good culture fit and what you believe youd bring to the role.

One thing to remember as youre discussing your fitness for the company with employers is that the idea of culture fit can sometimes be used as a way to eliminate and discriminate against candidates, however unknowingly, who dont think, act or look like existing employees. A better alternative concept you might consider speaking to is culture add, or your ability to bring fresh and additive ideas and feedback to the team. Culture adds make the company stronger by diversifying the experiences and perspectives of its workforce.

Read more: Interview Question: Why Should We Hire You?

Best Interview Practices For After The Interview

After the interview, consider these final tips to help you gain some clarity from the experience and follow up with the hiring manager:

• Ask about what to expect next: One way to help close out the interview is to ask about what you should expect next. This will communicate to the hiring manager your continued interest in the position. It may provide you with a timeline for when to expect a reply and how to progress in your job search.
• Express gratitude: Thank the hiring manager for the time they spent meeting with you and for the opportunity to interview. Smile and politely mention something unique you enjoyed about the interview or the process. Interviews are valuable experiences that can lead to more job opportunities and help you prepare for the next time you sit in the hiring chair.
• Send a follow-up email or letter: Soon after the interview, consider sending a personalized email or letter to serve as a formal thank you. Consider differentiating yourself by including some details from your interview to help make you stand out from the other candidates. This minor act will keep you in the mind of the hiring manager and is a thoughtful professional courtesy to someone who may be a future colleague.

The above interview practices can help make sure your next interview goes smoothly and professionally. Be sure to prepare well in advance.

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Why Do You Want To Work Here

Interviewers often ask this question to determine whether or not you took the time to research the company and think critically about whether youre a good fit. The best way to prepare for this question is to do your homework and learn about the products, services, mission, history and culture of this workplace. In your answer, mention the aspects of the company that appeals to you and aligns with your values and career goals.

Example answer:The companys mission to help college grads pay off their student loan debt resonates with me. Ive been in student loan debt myself and would love the opportunity to work with a company thats making a difference. Finding a company with a positive work environment and values that align with my own has remained a priority throughout my job search and this company ranks at the top of the list.

Read more: Interview Question: Why Do You Want to Work Here?

Beware Of Questions Not To Ask

Certain interview questions are prohibited by state regulations and by the laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Such interview questions could potentially make your company liable in an employment discrimination lawsuit. Avoid questions, including but not limited to those below, that touch upon:

• An individual’s race, ethnicity, religion, or gender
• A candidate’s citizenship status or place of birth
• Any physical or mental disability
• Whether a candidate is pregnant
• Prior salary history

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Practice Good Manners And Body Language

Related: How To Project Confidence When Meeting People

Jenn, a career coach at Indeed, explains strategies to project confidence and competence in an interview and how to create a strong first impression.

Practice confident, accessible body language from the moment you enter the building. Sit or stand tall with your shoulders back. Before the interview, take a deep breath and exhale slowly to manage feelings of anxiety and encourage self-confidence. The interviewer should extend their hand first to initiate a handshake. Stand, look the person in the eye and smile. A good handshake should be firm but not crush the other persons fingers.

Related: Everything You Need To Know About Job Interview Etiquette

Interview Questions For Job Candidates

To elicit the elements and insights derived from using the STAR approach of behavioral interviewing, prepare a series of questions that build on behavioral interview question models that start with:

Questions constructed around each of these models offer the potential for answers that say a lot about a candidate’s personality and interpersonal style. They can also spark a meaningful discussion that leads to the interviewer’s deeper understanding of past situations, tasks, actions, and results the applicant has experienced.

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Job Interview Tips That Will Help You Get Hired

Even when you have gone on more interviews than you can count, job interviewing remains hard.

With each job interview, you are meeting new people, selling yourself and your skills, and often getting the third degree about what you know or don’t know. And, you need to stay upbeat and enthusiastic through it all. This can be a challenge, especially when you’re interviewing for a job you would love to get hired for.

That said, there are ways to make a job interview feel much less stressful.

Just a little preparation time can go a long way. The more time you take in advance to get ready, the more comfortable you’ll feel during the actual interview. Remember, though, that a job interview is not an exam: you dont need to study for hours on end. Instead, prioritize researching the company. That way, you’ll understand exactly what they are looking for in a new hire, and be ready to discuss your experience and what makes you a great fit for the job.

It is a good idea to focus on your communication skills in particular, so you can speak clearly and concisely about the assets you can offer the employer.

Choose A Diverse Selection Committee

The selection committee will help you pick the candidate best suited for the position and for the unit overall. Select committee members and a chairperson based on the following criteria, keeping diversity within the panel in mind:

• Vested interest in the responsibilities of the position
• Knowledge of the goals of the unit or office
• Working relationships
• Supervisory responsibilities
• Campus interaction

In the interest of fairness, committee members should not needlessly reveal that they are going to serve as panelists.

Responsibilities of the Selection Committee Chairperson:

• Provide Selection Committee with selection criteria.
• Ensure that the same procedure is followed for each candidate.
• Escort the candidate into the room, introduce the panel, put the applicant at ease, explain the interview process, and ask the first question.
• Ensure that no inappropriate questions are asked.
• Inform the candidate of the timeline for selecting a finalist and filling the position.
• Keep to the time schedule.
• Close the interview.
• Make final recommendations to the hiring authority on behalf of the selection committee.

Responsibilities of the Selection Committee:

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Be On Message From The Outset

Politicians coached in handling the media are always advised to have a maximum of three key messages to get across, which they should stick to and repeat throughout any interview.

Similarly, its a good idea to have two or three key points that you want to make about what you have to offer and what youre looking for for example, Im ready for the challenge of managing a team, I combine compliance experience with technical expertise, in my career, Ive developed an extensive digital transformation skillset.

These are the three key points that you want your interviewer to remember about you. So try and work them in naturally whenever you can, even in the first few minutes. Its also important to have a ready answer for some of the most common questions that come up early on such as Tell me why you want this job and Whats your understanding of what this job involves?

Make Your Interview Purposeful

Its important for your exit interviews to have a purpose. If there isnt a clear purpose for these interviews, the interviewer wont be asking meaningful questions. This can compromise the quality of the data and information that is recollected during the interview. If youre struggling to find a purpose for your interviews, remember the essential information is finding out why the employee is leaving and what the company can do to prevent employees from leaving. Once you have those two answers, you can find other things you need to know to collect that information into a database.

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What Are Your Goals For The Future

Hiring managers often ask about your future goals to determine whether or not youre looking to stay with the company long-term. Additionally, this question is used to gauge your ambition, expectations for your career and ability to plan ahead. The best way to handle this question is to examine your current career trajectory and how this role helps you reach your long-term goals.

Example answer:I would like to continue developing my marketing expertise over the next several years. One of the reasons Im interested in working for a fast-growing startup company is that Ill have the ability to wear many hats and collaborate with many different departments. I believe this experience will serve me well in achieving my ultimate goal of someday leading a marketing department.

Read more: Interview Question: What Are Your Future Goals?

Show Them The Same Respect You Would Expect To Receive

Although you are the one conducting the interview, you should still be respectful. Maintain eye contact throughout the meeting. Shake the candidates hand at the end of the interview, and thank the person for his or her time. Even though only one person can get the job, utilizing the employer interviewing best practices will go a long way in maintaining a good reputation among the community.

To discover other ways to get the best employees for your business, take a look at what else Mighty Recruiter can provide.

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+ More Interview Questions And Answers

Need more help? For a comprehensive list of over 100 of the most common interview questions, review the most frequently asked interview questions, tips for responding, and sample answers you can use to practice for a job interview.

Your responses will be stronger if you know what to expect during the interview and have a sense of what you want to focus on. Knowing that you are prepared will boost your confidence and help you minimize interview stress and feel more at ease.

Best Practices For Interviewing Potential Employees

Interviewing potential employees is a crucial step that many business owners fail to take seriously, meaning they don’t land the right people for their teams. That’s why we put so much time and care into this post to outline everything you need to know about how to get ready for an interview, what questions you can ask , and when it might be a good idea to hire a professional outside HR consultant.

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What Is The Purpose Of A Second Or Third Interview

Follow-up or subsequent interviews are sometimes required prior to onboarding new hires when an applicant initially meets with an HR representative or an assistant manager who doesnt have the final say in hiring. When a second interview is requested, its usually conducted by the initial interviewers supervisor or additional team members. However, this can vary depending on the company.

What To Bring To The Interview

Set aside time before your interview to get the following items together.

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Think About First Impressions

Pro-tip: When you arrive early, use the extra minutes to observe the workplace dynamics.

Communicate The Purpose Upfront

As you let the employee know the time and place for their exit interview, you should also let them know the purpose of the interview upfront. Convey that the point is for them to provide feedback about their manager, department, or the entire company to learn more about their experience during their time working there. They should also know this isnt the time or place for company gossip or to talk poorly about specific team members.

Also Check: How Do Video Interviews Work

Recruiting Software Helps You Conduct Better Interviews

WorkforceHub ApplicantStack recruiting software helps you improve your interviewing process. Manage job descriptions, post to job boards, create structured interviews, and track applicants. The result? You will attract and hire quality employees faster.

You can try ApplicantStack for free. Visit ApplicantStack free trial.

Simplify HR management today.

An Employment Value Proposition is an important employer branding tool. As such, an EVP can help you be more effective at attracting and retaining talent. An Employment Value Proposition is also called an Employer Value Proposition or Employee Value Proposition. What Is An EVP? Your EVP articulates the value you provide to your employees

Its important for small businesses to understand full cycle recruiting. Are you in charge of the hiring process at your org? Or perhaps youre in charge of one small slice of the process. Whichever camp you fall into, understanding full cycle recruiting can help you improve hiring. What Is Full Cycle Recruiting? Full life cycle

Choosing A Video Interview Software Platform

If you have not used a video software platform for remote interviews before the process of choosing one can be a bit intimidating, some potential video interview solutions include Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Gotomeeting, and Webex.

Not sure which virtual meeting solution you should choose? Dont worry weve got you covered, check out our article on the 5 software options for video interviews to learn more.

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Hire And Onboard The New Employee

Your employee onboarding process can make a big difference in how successful your new hire is within your organization. First, send the necessary paperwork to the candidate for them to sign. If you use recruiting software, it will likely have e-signature capabilities, allowing new employees to accept an offer and complete onboarding paperwork remotely.

Comprehensive programs take it one step further, automating the entire onboarding process and providing your new hire with all the training and materials they need. This will not only set up the employee for success, but it can also improve employee retention.

Key takeaway: Most hiring processes include basic steps like recruiting, interviewing, screening, hiring and onboarding employees.