This is a continuation of the previous blog “How to Conduct a Successful Employee Interview – Interview Structure”, where we started off by talking about the different types of interviews.
Now that we have established the objectives of the interview and decided on the structure to adopt, there are a few things to keep in mind while conducting an interview:
- Questions must be within the human rights legislation – Illegal questions include questions about the candidate’s marital status, childcare arrangements, ethnic background, age, etc.
- Every candidate must be treated equally – For example when hiring for a sales position, you cannot ask a female on their willingness to travel and not ask a male. Please note that the necessary accommodations must be made for people with disabilities.
- Avoid making preconceived notions – Never cut an interview short because you already made up your mind about what the “ideal” candidate is.
- Focus on the job description and specifications – Phrase questions in a manor such like “this job requires…”, “in this position you will…” to access applicants without violating their legal rights.
The best thing you can do is be prepared for the interview. Decide on the structure you want and have your questions prepared prior to the interview. Keep in mind the above-mentioned 4 tips when preparing your questions, to ensure a smooth interview process that complies with the human rights legislation.
Stay tuned for next week’s installment (Wednesday, September 14) where we will discuss common interviewing mistakes.
