Preparing to Interview a Recruitment Candidate

• Arrange interview time, date and venue, decide who will be interviewing and what format the interview will take. Communicate this with candidates in writing to avoid errors.
• If interviewing several candidates in succession, make sure enough time is allowed between interviews to write up notes, otherwise it is easy to forget what each candidate said
• Consider any specific requirements for disabled candidates and ensure that they are in place. (e.g. suitable access for a candidate in a wheel chair)
• Reviewed candidates CV.'.s thoroughly beforehand so you don't ask questions where the answers are obvious from the C.V.. Prepare questions for any areas that require clarification
• Prepare suitable questions and ask the same questions to each candidate. This ensures a structured and measurable approach.
• Create a relaxed atmosphere and make the candidate feel comfortable. Make sure the room has no annoying distractions i.e. a noisy workshop.
• Make sure there will be no interruptions throughout the interview, including phone calls
• Introduce yourself and any other interviewers, and outline the interview process, format and specific roles of each interviewer
• Thank the candidate for coming and indicate when they should expect feedback
• Take time after the interview to write up your notes as a reminder of the discussion. This will help you remember each candidate when you come to make a decision on who to hire.
• If interviewing in a panel format, make sure you spend sufficient time to clarify and agree how the interview will be structured and who is asking each of the questions
• During interviews ask open questions to elicit more information e.g. "Tell me about the best team you have worked in?"
• Make sure you are aware of the relevant employment laws such as race, sex and disability discrimination that could affect the recruitment process
• Indicate how long the interview is likely to take, what you are going to cover making sure the candidate has the time and opportunity have time to ask questions