10/10 Tips for Interviewers and Interviewees

10 things for the interviewer to consider

1. Ask standard questions of each person; however, chose the questions carefully so that you can determine which candidate is the best person for the job.  Many people make the mistake of not tailoring their questions and that is a mistake.
2. Always interview with a second person, they don’t have to even ask questions, but just having someone else in the room watching for reactions or asking an unplanned question is extremely useful. 
3. Role-play how you want the interviews to go, who is going to ask what, what kinds of answers you are looking for, what kinds of probing questions you want to use.
4. Have the interview room set up prior to the interviewee arriving, make sure that computer monitors are not in the way, have a chair for everyone (silly I know, but I have seen it happen where this wasn’t the case). 
5. Have some place for the interviewees coat and belongings to go.  I have seen people get interviewed for 30 minutes or longer, with their winter coats still on.
6. Look for people who will tell you what they can do to help you and your organization, not just what the job will do for them.
7. Prior to the interview, review their social media footprint:  LinkedIn, Face Book, Instagram, etc. 
8. Use the RED/YELLOW/GREEN method of scoring each applicant, RED – is a warning, if they are a good candidate otherwise, maybe ask for more detail; YELLOW – is a potential danger, again ask for more details; and GREEN, means that this applicant’s answer is good.
9. If the interviewee is obviously not going to work for you, make sure that you treat them with dignity and respect. I used to call them, a courteous interview; who knows maybe the person might be good in another role, but if nothing else, a courteous interview is a good chance to practise your own skills.
10. Ask for and check references.  I always tried to do two interviews for any position based on the fact that for small to medium sized companies, there is tremendous risk and expense when filling a position.  Having two interviews allows you to learn more about the applicant and checking references, particularly in a small town, can give you insights from people you may know in the community. 

PAUL’S NOTE:  Some people say that checking references is a waste of time because, of course, references are only going to say good things about the person.  Well, that is not always the case because some people don’t know they are references.  Most importantly, try not to be so cynical about references, in my experience, people who are references, honestly want to help that person and having another perspective can help you shine light onto skills that you might have missed about that person.

10 things for the interviewee to consider

1. Role-play interview questions are less about memorizing answers to standard questions and more about “How” you answer the questions and why you give the answers you give.  Work with someone you trust in the best scenario, in front of a mirror at the very least.  Be aware of body language and try to relax.

2. Know where you need to be for the interview and be at least 15 minutes early, most employers will appreciate that, plus if you have trouble finding the location then you have time to relax before you have to start.

3. Try to avoid unconscious mistakes: 

• Leave your phone in the car or in your pocket, the world will not end if you can’t be reached for 20 minutes.
• Don’t bring a coffee.
• Don’t wear a hat, no matter how good it looks on you.
• Don’t wear cologne or perfume.
• Don’t chew gum.
• Watch your language.
• If you are wearing a coat that you will take off, make sure that the pockets are empty, especially of change … trust me on that one.  Having the contents of your pockets spill onto the floor will not impress them.

4. Research the job and the company, many interviews are 30 minutes or so, spend at least that much time learning about the company.

5. Be very positive and upbeat, you will likely be nervous, that’s okay everyone always is.  It is allowed, if you weren’t a little nervous, that would be unusual.

6. Have good eye contact with the interviewer(s) and if there are more than one, make sure you talk to all of them. 

PAUL’S NOTE:  If you are uncomfortable with direct eye contact, look at a point about 4 inches from one of the ears, even from just a few feet away.

7. Have a list of references prepared and ready to give to the interviewer(s). If they don’t ask for it, make sure you give it to them.  References are important and give you a competitive edge.

PAUL’S NOTE:  When you list your references, use the same rule as when you list your skills, if you could only list one, who would it be, then do the same thing for the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and stop at 5.

8. Don’t be surprised or nervous if they give you a test or a quiz to complete.  Some companies will do this to test how you react to an unplanned situation.  Take a deep breath and do your best.  For office positions it’s not uncommon to have to prove your aptitude with word or excel, so be prepared.

9. Dress appropriately for the interview.  If you are not sure of what to wear, check out their website or social media for clues; if in doubt, over dress.

10. Practice your answers to the questions everyone hates:

• How much money do you want?  Research using Indeed or other websites to find a range, watch their reactions when you answer the question.
• Be prepared for questions that don’t have a right answer: “If you were an animal, what would you be?”  They are looking to see how you answer the question, not what you choose.  (BTW, never say a mouse)
• What is your greatest weakness?  This question is really “Why shouldn’t we hire you?”

11. Prepare a list of questions in advance for that point in the interview when they ask you, “Do you have any questions?”  You are allowed to take notes with you and if they haven’t answered the questions already, then ask.

12. As much as possible, relax and be yourself.  Will you answer every question perfectly? Not likely, but do your best regardless.  Afterwards ask yourself:

• What did I do well? Congratulate yourself!
• What did I not do well?  Learn the lessons and move on.
• What could I do different next time?

Remember, plan for an interview, practice the questions, be prepared, and relax, EVERYONE is nervous during an interview, even the people conducting the interview sometimes. Good Luck.