Interviewing and Aptitude Tests
Application Forms
Now, so far you’ve done everything that’s been said and you have attracted interest from a number of people. One way of getting to know more about the person is to issue an application form. This form will ask the applicant for personal details, qualifications, experience, health, interests and anything else that you may want to know.
Aptitude Tests
You may want to see if the applicant can do the job by setting up an aptitude test. This will involve the applicant putting appropriate practical skills into use to give you an idea of how skilled they are. For example, if the job requires them to use certain computer software (Access, Excel, Word, etc), then you will use a test that involves this to assess their capability.
You may feel that it is necessary to use both the application form and the tests. Or, you may not want to use either and get down to business straight away by offering interviews to those that interest you.
Either way, once you feel that you have narrowed down the applicants to those you feel are capable of doing the job, its time to arrange an interview. This is usually done by phone and a written confirmation.
Interviewing
Before you start any interview, it is important that you know what questions you are going to ask. Prepare a list and make sure that they are relevant for both you and the applicant. Pick out points that you have read from their CV/application form that require further explanation (gap years, changes in career paths, poor results, etc).
The time that the interview should last is recommended at around one hour but take as much/little time as you need. What you are trying to achieve from the interview is recognising the applicants’ strengths and weaknesses. This will then help choose the right person for the job.
An Important thing to remember is that you make the applicant feel comfortable, but to also extend the applicant if the vacancy demands such. Encouragement can be through simple things like Body Language in Business and tone of voice.
Keep control of the interview – make notes and know which questions to ask next. Allow the applicant to talk as much as possible by encouraging him/her with open questions and long silences: getting true and worthy information is the key to an appointment. Those of us who have prepared thoroughly for an interview only to get picked off with an off the wall question will understand the benefit of such a style.
At the end of the interview, let the applicant ask you questions. It could be the difference between the applicant losing and maintaining interest.
Interview Schedule
If you expect one hour interviews, ensure one and a half hours between applicants: this allows for over runs, late arrivals, business you have to take care of (if you must), discussions between interviewers (if more than one), and to compile your notes (never trust to memory if you have multiple applicants – you have been warned!).
Ensure applicant has instructions that are capable of getting them to your office door, if necessary. Be ready to see the applicant at the appointed time and have nothing else to do other than interview them (no “quick phone call” while they wait).
Introduce everyone and explain the interview procedure, being:
- Explain business history
- Explain job
- Explain job requirements
- Ask relevant questions
- Explain job benefits
- Inform applicant of next step (letter in post, phone call, second interview etc)
- See applicant off premises
- Choosing the Right Applicant
