While everyone recognizes the anxiety and nervousness that can accompany interviewing for a new job, it’s sometimes easy to overlook the same apprehension that goes along with facilitating (or giving) an interview.
Giving an interview and evaluating the candidate in front of you doesn’t have to be uneasy or nerve-wracking. In fact, with the right preparation and materials, it can be a comfortable and enlightening experience for both you and the candidate.
It all begins well before the actual interview. The only way to give a thorough interview that appears effortless is by putting forth a healthy amount of—you guessed it—effort.
1. Study the Resume. The only reason this candidate has earned an interview with you is because you looked over his or her resume and ascertained that there could be a good match here. In preparing for the interview you’ll want to go back to that same resume and really study it this time.
Make a list of questions that the resume poses to you, and decide if there are any parts of the resume that will need clarification during the interview. Even if the whole resume is clear and succinct, make some notes to yourself regarding parts of the candidate’s experience or education that you’d like to talk about face-to-face.
2. Next, look beyond the resume. Never before have so many resources been available for interviewers to research prospective employees. Start with Google, and search for exact matches of the candidate’s name (hint: put the candidate’s first and last name in quotation marks when searching in Google; you’ll get a more specific set of results). While this won’t be as fruitful for common names as it will for unique ones, you’ll only be limited by your ambition and ability to search the Internet creatively.
Some searches will turn up little or no helpful information, while others will unearth an abundance of details and glimpses of the person who wants to work for you. While you should always be respectful of the candidate’s privacy, there is also the expectation that social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are open to public scrutiny.
If you’re already a member of these social media networks, you’ll likely have more access to a profile if you find one. Also consider more professional networks such as LinkedIn.
In the end, all your research should lead to one goal: helping you better determine whether this candidate will be a good fit for the position, and to a broader extent, your organization. Consider this as you do your homework and your interview will likely benefit as the result.
Celarity is a Minneapolis staffing agency that works with marketing, creative, interactive and IT professionals looking to explore new work opportunities, and get connected with organizations that are hiring.
Visit The Ultimate Guide to Hiring Digital Talent page for more information about how to interview digital candidates!
