3.1 Legal responsibilities of an interviewer
As an interviewer, it is your duty to ensure that the interview remains an open discussion and that you don't discriminate at any time. You need to know the legalities so you can reduce the risk of finding yourself in the throes of a legal battle in the long run. You will find that each and every interview you conduct is going to be different, as each person is unique and each job has different responsibilities. What you will find is that most interviews will have the same, or similar, questioning patterns and questions.
There are certain questions you cannot ask and if you do happen to ask them, you could be accused of discrimination, which is not the place you want to start. Only focus on how much you need to know about the person to identify if they can do the job to the company's satisfaction. This means you can learn about their past work history and their abilities and skills, but their personal life, their choices, and their marital status are none of your business.
There are certain times where you can discriminate, such as if you are recruiting for a waiting or bar position, where legally the applicant must be over 18 years of age to sell alcohol. In this instance, you are allowed to discriminate based on age to ensure the person you hire for the position is legally allowed to sell alcohol and you meet your personal license obligations, for example. There are certain questions that you are not allowed to ask applicants in their application or during an interview, including questions about their overall health, whether they are married, and if they have or are planning to have children in the near future.
While an employee having a young child may be a disadvantage for the company in the event the child gets sick, this is not a reason to refuse employment, and if you do, you may find yourself in a long and unwelcome legal battle. At the same time, you do have the ability to question the applicant on their health if there are certain health or disability adjustments that would be needed. If the applicant is in a wheelchair or struggles to walk, you do have the right to ask them about their disability. In the event they are successful, you will need to add a ramp for the wheelchair or ensure there is a way for them to get to their desk with ease if walking is an issue.
You must never ask an applicant for their date of birth on their application form. Selecting applicants based on age is discriminatory behaviour, but you can ask them their date of birth on your equality monitoring form. You cannot ask an applicant about their criminal past, the same as they are not obliged to tell you if they have any criminal convictions that are spent. Even if you are aware of the conviction, as the interviewer, you need to treat the applicant as though this never happened and you cannot refuse them employment as a result of it. At the same time, there are areas where you need to focus on criminal convictions and you can refuse employment as a result, such as in the health care industry and working with children.
As the interviewer, you cannot force an applicant or discriminate against an applicant for being a member of a certain trade union. This means you cannot refuse employment to a good applicant who is perfect for the position because they are a member of a certain trade union, while you can also not force an applicant to join a trade union before they can be considered for employment with your company.
Questions that should not be asked during an interview
As the interviewer, it is your responsibility to ensure that the interview process remains legal at all times. This means that there are certain questions that should never be asked in an interview, even though it is understandable that you want to learn as much about the applicant as possible. It is your responsibility if the applicant is not from the UK to take the relevant steps to ensure that they are legally allowed to be in the country and have the right to work. In these instances, you are allowed to ask for proof, which may be a British passport or a working visa. Take note of the dates of the visa to ensure that they don't overstay while working for you.
When you learn that an applicant is not originally from the UK, you are allowed to ask for proof of their right to live and work in the country, but you are not allowed to question them further about their country of origin. Asking an applicant where they were born can be seen as a racial issue. You are allowed to ask ethnicity on your application form, but this can only be used for monitoring purposes and this should be separate from the original application form.
Never ask questions relating to an applicant's marital status, sexual preference, or whether they have children or not. This can be seen as discriminatory. Don't ask potential employees about any lifestyle choices they have made. Whether they drink alcohol when they get home from work or they use recreational drugs on weekends is none of your business and cannot be used as a way to determine if they are the right applicant for the company.
3.2 Preparing for an interview
As an interviewer, you want to prepare as much as possible to help you conduct an effective interview, which will provide you with all the relevant information
that you need to determine the best applicants for the available position. Interviewing an applicant is your chance to learn more about them, the type of person that they are, their interpersonal skills, how they react to stress, whether their skills meet the job requirements, and whether they have given you honest information on their CV.
Set aside time
The first and probably most important thing when preparing for an interview is to ensure you set aside enough time. The interview needs to be conducted in an appropriate location, so if you share an office with colleagues, set aside time in the board room, for example ensure that the reception staff members are aware you are conducting interviews and don't put any calls through or allow any disruptions during the process. You will also want to turn off your mobile phone.
Remember while the applicant is looking to make a good impression, as a representative of the company, you also want to give a good first impression.
Read the CV
You need to ensure you have read and studied each and every CV prior to the interview. During the meeting, you can have a copy with you, so you can refer back to it to ensure what is written down matches what they say. It is important you know the CV in detail, because this enables you to ask questions which dig deeper rather than covering the basics which you already have in your hand.
Know the type of applicant you are looking for
You may be able to write a killer job description and the applicant may have a killer CV, and while you can see that they are more than capable of completing the basics of the job, you need to know the type of person that they are. What else can they bring to the table, what are their behaviours, are they team players?
Have set questions
Write down 10 to 12 questions that you want to ask each and every applicant for this particular position. Rather than trying to think of questions as you go, having a set number of questions can help you compare answers after the interviews are completed. You can ask other questions in between if you feel you are going to be able to learn more about the applicant this way. As you gain skills as an interviewer, you will know when to stick to the set questions and when to dig that little bit deeper.
The interview
Set out how you want the interview to go, from when you first meet the applicant and take them into the board room to start the interview to what you are going to advise them, so they know what the company is looking for, when they can expect an answer, and more.
In the interview, you should:
Introduce yourself, who you are, and what you do at the company. Greet the applicant and show respect by shaking their hand and putting them at ease. Tell them about the company. Remember this is the first impression the applicant is going to have of the company so ensure the room is neat and the phones are turned off to minimise disruptions. Set the tone and tell the applicant what is going to happen during the interview. Ensure you are not too casual, as you want to be taken seriously, while also ensuring the applicant feels at ease.
Go over the open position, set out the duties, and remind the applicant of what was covered in your job posting. Ensure the applicant is still certain this is the right job for them. Cover the duties and the responsibilities of the position along with the working conditions. Ensure the applicant is aware of whether the position is a temporary or permanent one or whether it is a contract position for a set period of time, such as only for the summer season.
Ask general questions to start. This usually includes their background and why they are interested in the position. Get the applicant to give you an overall impression of themselves and how they feel they can contribute to the company moving forward. Take the time to review the CV with the applicant. Ask them specific questions relating to the position, and ask them about past responsibilities and any problems or pressures that they may have experienced in various positions. Identify gaps or inconsistencies in their employment. Sometimes there is a simple answer, such as a gap year of travelling.
Always ask them why they left their past employer or why they are leaving. Ask consistent questions that you ask every single applicant you have interviewed or will interview for this position. You are looking for the perfect candidate who will have the abilities and skills that match as closely as possible to what you are looking for. Ask open ended questions when it comes to skills, enabling the applicant to give you information.
Discuss their strengths and weaknesses. Allow the applicant to ask any questions that they may have about the position and the company. Always give the applicant a timeline. This is how long you think it is going to take before a final decision is made. Ensure that you advise the applicant that they will hear from you whether they are successful or not, so they know what is going on and what to expect.
FACT
55% of hiring managers value hard skills over personality when hiring
Source: hrmorning.com
3.3 Setting up an interviewee database
Your interviewee database can be used for a variety of positions within the company and it is a good idea to keep every CV that you feel may be beneficial to the company in your database. Your database can be made in a MS Office program such as Excel or Access and will enable you to search and identify potential matches for available positions. Essentially, you will be able to have your own recruitment agency database in-house, filling positions quickly and effectively without delay.
There are some important factors to consider when you set up your database, including:
-Positions the applicant is suitable for.
-Name and contact details, and a link to their CV.
-Any background checks you may have conducted.
-References.
-Date available from.
-Whether still available.
With a database in place, as and when a position becomes available, you can search your chosen database and see if you have a potential match. It is worthwhile to add an area where you can write your own notes to ensure that you always know who you are looking at. Put each applicant under certain job titles, so you can search for specific positions and their details will come up straight away.
3.4 Questioning Techniques
Asking the right question is essential to ensure you get the information you need and help you identify if you are currently looking at an applicant who may be the perfect match to meet the company's unique needs. Effective communication combined with the right questioning techniques is imperative to you succeeding in interviews. There are certain techniques you need to know, along with when you should or should not use them.
Open and closed questions
Closed questions are when you will get a short or maybe even a single word answer. This is perfect for those 'yes' or 'no' answer questions. An open question requires a longer and more detailed response. These usually start with 'describe' or 'tell me.'
Examples of open ended questions include:
-Why do you feel you are the right match for this position?
-What happened at that particular meeting?
-Tell me how you will use your skills to improve productivity in the department?
-Describe the circumstances you spoke about in more detail.
You can use open ended questions to develop a conversation, identify more detail, and learn the applicant's opinions or even their issues within their job or past employment. Closed questions are better if you want to get a quick answer to your question without additional detail. Be careful of asking too many closed questions, which could result in the interview coming to a grinding halt and not helping you get the information that you need to make a decision.
Probing questions
Probing questions are used to find out details. You can ask the applicant for an example to help you understand them better. You can also use probing questions to investigate if they are being honest, such as 'how do you know?' or 'how did you?' When it comes to probing questions, try to use words that require an exact response, such as 'exactly'. 'Who exactly did you report to?', 'How exactly did you manage to compile the reports in such a short period of time?'.
Probing questions are used for clarification and to ensure you have all the information you need. They can be used to get the applicant to give you information that they are trying to avoid, ensuring you understand the situation in detail so you can make an informed decision.
Leading questions
Leading questions can be used to steer the applicant to think along the same lines as you.
This can be done in a number of ways:
-You can use a leading question with an assumption. If you assume the applicant is the right person for the position, you can steer their line of thinking in your direction with a question such as, 'How do you think you will enjoy completing the duties I have just explained to you?' or 'How do you think you can manage these tasks?'
-You can add a personal appeal to the end of the question, such as 'You appear efficient, so you should be able to handle these duties, don't you think?'
-You phrase the question to get a positive response, so you word your question to get a 'yes'. 'Do you think this position is right for you or not?'
-You give the applicant a choice from two possible outcomes, both of which you are hoping to achieve. This is an A or B answer, and both A and B are answers you are looking for.
Remember that leading questions are usually closed questions.
Leading questions are usually used to get the answer you want to get and not really give the other person the choice. Leading questions are usually used to close a deal, so 'If that is everything, shall we agree on a starting date?' Be very careful when using leading questions, as these are self-serving and, therefore, you should use them while ensuring that you meet the legal responsibilities of the interview process and are not seen as dishonest or discriminatory in any way.
Rhetorical questions
Rhetorical questions are not really questions, so you ask a question and you don't expect any answers in return. These are actually statements that are phrased as a question. You should only use rhetorical questions in the interview in order to engage with the applicant, getting them drawn into what you have to say and agreeing with it. Rhetorical questions are very powerful when they are strung together: 'Isn't this a beautiful location to work? Don't you love the windows overlooking the park? You have to admit, it must be amazing eating your lunch out in the fresh air in the park?'
Using questioning techniques effectively
The questioning techniques you see above are probably ones you have used daily without even realising it. Now it's time to put them to use in an interview situation. Consciously apply the type of questioning that is going to give you the information, response, and outcome you want to achieve.
Questions are powerful and will help you:
-Learn more about the person by using open and closed questions combined with some probing questions.
-Build a relationship with the applicant to make them feel comfortable. Ask their opinion and use this to maintain and build an open dialogue to conduct the interview with ease.
-Coach and manage an applicant. Use leading and rhetorical questions to get the applicant to reflect on their past and commit to their future.
-Reduce the risk of misunderstandings by using probing questions to get the clarification you need. This will eliminate the risk of you jumping to conclusions.
-Persuade the applicant using a series of open ended questions and help them see your point of view.
Always ensure that the applicant is given more than enough time to respond to each of your questions. Bear in mind that many applicants will be nervous and they may need a few seconds to think about the question before responding. Don't just jump in and ask the next question, give them the time that they need.
When you ask questions, you need to combine that with effective listening techniques to ensure you understand the applicant's answers.
3.5 What you need to remember
The interview process can be a daunting experience for you and the applicant. While you may have prepared for the interview and you may have a list of questions you want answers to, there are some things you want to remember to ensure that the process is not stressful for you or the applicant so you both get the most out of the experience.
Start slow and personal
Start every interview with a question that is personal and not about the job at all. This can be something as simple as 'what was the first job you did when you finished school or university?' Ask a personal question that is open ended, giving the applicant a chance to feel comfortable and relaxed and get into the interview process. A simple and personal question makes the atmosphere in the room more relaxed and starts the interview off on the right tone.
Determine the objective of the interview
Before any interview, always identify why you want to meet with the applicant. Identify what you will learn from them, what information they can provide that will help you decide to hire them, and how the interview will help you in the long run.
What areas to cover
Identify the areas you want to cover in the interview and write them on the sheet so that you focus on those as the interview progresses. After starting with an easy and relaxed personal question, you can start covering each area, crossing it off the list as you complete it. Remember you will have your set list of questions that you will be working to, making it easier to ensure all the areas are covered during the interview process.
Choose a location with care
In most instances, an interview will take place in your office or board room, but there are instances where you will be forced to think outside the box. If you are filling a senior role and one of the applicants is from a competing company, they may not want to be seen or recognised walking into your office building. You need to take this into consideration and choose the right location, such as the local coffee shop, where it is possible you may have just bumped into each other if you are seen.
Mix and match question styles
When it comes to asking questions, don't make every question an open ended question. Mix and match between open and closed questions, giving the applicant the space and time they need to expand on their answers and give you the information you need to make an informed decision on whom to hire.
FACT
Did you know that the best colour to wear when going for an interview is blue? Colour psychologists believe that blue indicates that you are trustworthy, and it also tends to be most people's favourite colour
Source: circumhr.co.uk
Module summary
This module armed you with everything you need to conduct a successful interview. You learned what your legal responsibilities are when conducting interviews in the United Kingdom. You also learned effective question techniques, how to prepare for an interview, and how to set up an effective database you can use now and moving forward.
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