Top 10 tips to get the most out of your interviews

Need a little help in getting the best results from candidates when interviewing? Then let Henley Executive share our top 10 tips for getting the best results from your interviews. Some may seem a little obvious, however consistency is key to getting through a tough marketplace and separating the wheat from the chaff.

1. Introduce yourself make sure you sell yourself and the opportunity. It’s a candidate’s market at the moment so don’t assume they’ll instantly want to work for you.

2. It seems obvious but re-read a candidate’s CV prior to the interview so you know areas you want to delve deeper.

3. Set aside enough time for the interview so you aren’t rushing through questions (including 10 minutes afterward to debrief).

4. Have a set of specific questions that you are consistently asking all candidates so you can gauge experience levels.

5. As well as asking questions that will demonstrate their specific skills for the role – give candidates a chance to expand on their experience – they may well have additional skills that could make them a standout applicant.

6. Could you incorporate a skills test? Code tests, proofreading tasks, presentations or setting a short task/brief can help ascertain skills.

7. Set a yardstick on skills – mark candidates to that competency and prioritise what’s most important.

8. Try not to overlook their potential growth – sometimes it’s better to invest in a little training for an overall better candidate.

9. Try and keep interviews clustered together – having large gaps between interviews can make it difficult to compare candidates.

10. Move quickly – if you like them, let them know the same day that you’re interested in progressing to the next stage. And try keep to keep interview stages to a minimum.

For up-to-date advice on the market or help with recruitment, get in touch with Max Levenger or Lynsey Arnold at Henley Executive on 0333 568 4888, or contact us here.