Did you know that most hiring managers have never been taught how to interview a job candidate for a position effectively? As a new hiring manager, conducting job interviews for the first time can be both exciting and daunting. Fortunately, with the right preparation and mindset, you can conduct effective interviews that help you identify the best candidates for your team. 

Before the Interview:

Prepare Thoroughly

Before the interview, review the candidate's resume and prepare a list of questions tailored to their experience and the job requirements. This preparation will help you stay focused and make the most of your time with the candidate.

Here's a checklist to help you get ready for the interview:

1. Review resumes - Make sure you've looked over the resumes of the individual you are interviewing, highlighting and making a note of anything you would like to discuss further with them during interview.
2. Understand the role - before the interview, make sure you have a thorough understanding of the job description, required skills, and the qualities you’re looking for in a candidate.
3. If you're not directly on the hiring team, it's also imperative to have an understanding of the team dynamic that you're hiring into, so make sure to set aside time to understand the work styles, preferences and personalities of the hiring team.
4. Prepare a structured plan - before the interview, outline the key topics and questions you want to cover. This helps you stay organized and ensures that you address all important areas. You might also want to use interview scorecards to help guide the conversation and keep track of your notes.
5. Brush up on your company's mission, structure, and the amazing benefits and perks that come with the position you're hiring for.
   

During the Interview

1. let the candidate talk

Something we see often in less experience interviewers is that they often feel the need to fill the interview with information about the company/team and how great it is before actually getting to know the candidate and understanding if they are even someone they would want to hire in the first place. Don't get me wrong, you do still need to sell the appeal of the role, team and company, but don't forget to make sure you're liking who you're talking to as well.

Try to work on the 80/20 principle. As an interviewer, you should speak only 20% of the time.

2. Build Rapport

Building rapport with candidates is essential to create a comfortable environment where they feel at ease and can present their best selves. Here are some tips to help you establish a connection:

• Start with a Warm Welcome: Begin the interview with a friendly greeting and a smile. Introduce yourself and provide a brief overview of the interview process. This sets a positive tone and helps the candidate relax.
• Engage in Small Talk: Spend a few moments on light conversation about non-work-related topics, such as the weather, recent events, or shared interests. This can help break the ice and make the candidate feel more comfortable.
• Show Genuine Interest: Demonstrate that you are genuinely interested in the candidate’s background and experiences. Use active listening techniques, such as nodding and maintaining eye contact, to show that you are engaged in the conversation.

3. Guide the Conversation

Effectively guiding the conversation ensures that you gather the necessary information to make an informed hiring decision. Here’s how to keep the interview on track:

• Use Open-Ended Questions & Listen Carefully: The key to good interviewing is to ask good questions and then listen carefully and patiently to the answers. Ask open-ended questions that encourage the candidate to elaborate on their experiences and skills. Allow silences in the conversation for the candidate to reply, don’t immediately fill the silence. You can also ask follow-up questions for clarification and often times you should as this creates a more ‘natural’ conversation, rather than something scripted. Ask “What do you mean?” regularly. Never assume that you know or understand what is said until you have checked to be sure.
• Ask Behavioral Questions: Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your questions. This helps candidates provide clear and concise answers.
• Don't Forget to Ask Technical Questions: Ensure you assess the candidate’s technical skills relevant to the role. Tailor these questions to the specific requirements of the job.

5. USE THE “SWAN FORMULA”

What qualities are you looking for in a candidate? There is a simple formula you can use in an interview. It is called the “Swan Formula” and comes from executive recruiter John Swan; essentially you are looking for someone that ticks the boxes of all of these by the time you leave the interview.

It is based on the letters S-W-A-N. These are the four ingredients you are looking for:

• Smart
• Work Hard
• Ambitious
• Nice

5. LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL QUALITIES

First of all, look for achievement or result orientation. When you ask questions, listen for examples from the person’s background where they have enjoyed succeeding and getting results at a previous job. The only accurate predictor of future performance is past performance. Probe this area carefully and demand specifics, not generalities: “What exactly did you do and what results did you get?”

6. LISTEN FOR INTELLIGENT QUESTIONS

One of the hallmarks of curiosity is that a good candidate will have serious questions, usually written out, that they want to ask about you, the company, the job, opportunities for the future, and so on.