How to design your interview process to find that perfect candidate.

Bringing somebody new into your company is a big deal. A new employee can be the best thing since sliced bread or they can go down like a lead balloon! The reality of the matter is that finding a person that fits in with your company is not always going to be easy. In order to find this elusive gem, it is essential that your recruitment process asks all of the right questions.

Finding that person is also likely to take up a lot of company time and effort. However this is time well spent as time now will pay off in the long run.

When it comes to writing your interview questions, keep it simple and relevant. Questions do not have to be creative or designed to throw a candidate. Leave that to Google and Facebook! Build your questions around what you need to know about the candidate and their relevant experience. Audit your questions and ask; are they going to give you they answer that you are looking for?

You may not believe it, but these have actually been asked in real interviews:

• How many children are born every day?
• Are you smart?
• What would you say to your future self and past self now.
• How would you describe yourself?
• What is the most embarrassing song you have on your phone?
• What are the qualities you like least and most in your parents?
• How lucky are you and why?
• If you were a Disney character which would you be and why?
• What would you serve for a breakfast for an African king?
• When would you be prepared to break the law?

It could be argued that ridiculous interview questions encourage candidates to think on their feet or demonstrate their problem-solving skills. However your recruitment process should reflect your company culture. If you are not wacky, don’t ask wacky questions! By demonstrating your true company culture, you will find a candidate that will be the best fit.

Ask about hobbies as this could help to build a fuller picture of a candidate’s character. If a candidate mentions that they go to the gym every morning, it can indicate that feeling motivated and energised for a day at work is important to them. However, when a candidate mentions that they love spending every evening at the pub, it could indicate that they may not be as fresh as a daisy in the morning!

During the interview, ask one question at a time. So not something like ‘What was the biggest challenge that you faced in your previous role, how did you face that challenge, did this cost the company, what did your manager say and what did you learn from the experience?’ These are all great questions. However when asked like this in one go, the candidate is unlikely to answer every part in full.

It can be good to support a traditional interview with another method as this will give you a more rounded and full picture of the candidate, their experience and character. Here are a few ideas:

• Psychometric testing
• Meeting the current team
• Presentation
• Group interviews
• Workshop or problem solving exercise

It is also important to remember that interviewing is a two-way process as the candidate will be deciding if they would like to work for you as well.

Here at HR HQ we love helping clients find their perfect candidate. If you need any additional guidance when designing you interview process, Sapience HR would be more than happy to help. Just give us a call at HQ on 01736 399384.