Our go-to Interview guide

You’d be surprised how many people still think they can wing an interview and realise later that not only did they forget to ask some fundamental questions; they have trouble remembering which candidate said what! Awkward! 

At HR Sustain we don’t like to complicate things, but we definitely think it’s worthwhile developing a simple interview guide. Even if it’s just a one-pager, it’ll help to keep you on track, and it will allow the interview to run smoothly.   

All we suggest is a list of questions you plan to cover in the interview, with some behavioural-based questions that will allow you to probe a little deeper. Every business and every role will require a different approach. But we have a few tips up our sleeve that helps to steer the interview along the right path.  

 

Interview Tips 

• Start the interview with a “warm-up” question. This is ideally a question that the interviewee can answer with ease and that will help to make them a little more comfortable and allow you to build rapport.   
• Ask straightforward questions, remembering to only ask one question at a time.  
• Focus on asking open-ended questions to encourage long answers from the candidate.  
• Try to avoid asking ‘Yes’ or “No’ questions. Unless the tactic is to see if the applicant is really great at finding ways to encourage conversation. 
• Most importantly; ask questions that allows you to figure out if this interviewee is the right cultural fit for your business. 

Be wary of asking personal questions that are irrelevant to the role. There are some questions that are rightly off limits as they may be considered potentially discriminatory.  Unsure of what you can and can’t ask?  Call us to discuss.  

 

Take your time 

This is important. No matter how urgently you need to fill the role, when it comes to finding the right person, take your time. If you’re not convinced you’ve found the person that will do a great job, fit right into the team and make your life easier, please don’t settle.  

It’s best to find someone that you are sure will be a great fit now, rather than regret offering the wrong person the job later down the track. Exiting someone from a position can be even more time-consuming and sensitive.  

If urgency is key, call us, we’ll do our best to assist you to navigate your recruitment process for you. 

 

Making it official 

Hurrah! If you’ve made it to this point, I bet you’ll be feeling a tremendous sense of relief. Though these next steps are just as vital to make sure you get your new employee starting off on the right foot.  

Now you’ll just need to do due diligence in checking references and any other relevant checks, such as working with children or police checks. Then you’ll need to confirm the offer of employment in writing, draw up the necessary documentation.  

Still unsure? Call us to discuss your needs – just click on the green button below!