| Hiring the right person is not always an easy thing to | | | | such as: |
| do, but using the right method of interview will | | | | Can you tell us about your past job history? |
| substantially aid the process. The more you know | | | | What type of work are you most enthusiastic about? |
| about interviewing, the more likely you are to hire the | | | | Can you tell us the specific qualifications you have for |
| ideal candidate. | | | | this work? |
| Four key methods of interviewing are as follows: | | | | While the same job areas might be addressed in all |
| 1. Directive interviews | | | | candidate interviews, the questions that the candidates |
| Directive interviews are highly structured and are | | | | are asked might be different. Patterned interviews help |
| probably the easiest type of interview to conduct. The | | | | reveal candidates' skill sets, but since the questions |
| interview is planned and directed by the interviewer, | | | | may not be exactly the same, it may be difficult to |
| whose purpose is to obtain specific information about | | | | evaluate one person's skills against another's. |
| verifiable fact. These common interview questions ask | | | | Deciding which technique or combination of techniques |
| for personal and straightforward information about you; | | | | to use will depend upon the position that needs to be |
| such as, What was your favorite subject in college? | | | | filled and the hiring information that must be obtained. |
| (age, education, etc) | | | | Delivering the questions at the right time is also |
| 2. Nondirective interviews | | | | significant, so keep in mind the four key steps to |
| Nondirective interviews are much less structured than | | | | interviewing. These four steps are: |
| directive interviews, allowing the candidate to guide the | | | | 1. Establishing rapport |
| procedure through candid self-expression. Common | | | | Establishing a trustful, or harmonious relationship with |
| questions here are open-ended, for example, Tell us | | | | the job candidate is step one in the interview process. |
| about yourself. | | | | 2. Asking questions |
| While nondirective interviews produce a great deal of | | | | The second step in the interview process is where |
| personal information about the candidate and present | | | | you employ the appropriate techniques and questions |
| new areas for inquiry, the lack of consistency in the | | | | discussed above. |
| questions can make comparing one candidate to | | | | 3. Listening |
| another difficult. | | | | Listening well is sometimes easier said than done, since |
| 3. Behavioral interviews | | | | the interviewer may also be paying attention to the |
| Behavioral interviews include elements of both directive | | | | candidate's body language and appearance. |
| and nondirective interviews, and help interviewers | | | | 4. Present a realistic picture |
| predict how a candidate might handle a future work | | | | Finally, the interviewer should give the candidate a |
| situation. The theory behind such interviews is that past | | | | realistic picture of what it would be like to work at the |
| behavior predicts future behavior. An example of this | | | | organization. Such a picture helps the candidate decide |
| is, Can you describe a time when you had to manage | | | | if he truly wants to work at the organization. It also |
| a difficult conflict? | | | | helps save the organization from hiring an employee |
| While behavioral interviews may not provide the | | | | who would quit after a brief stay with the firm. |
| interviewer with a wealth of factual detail, they do | | | | Giving such a picture to a candidate may even help |
| reveal how job candidates might handle actual work | | | | you get clearer answers to even the most common |
| situations that will inevitably arise. | | | | interview questions, and facilitate the delivery of all the |
| 4. Patterned interviews | | | | interview questions. |
| Patterned interviews are designed to cover specific, | | | | You may republish this article on your website, or |
| job-related areas. During such interviews, the | | | | e-zine so long as none of the content, or author |
| interviewer asks candidates questions about such | | | | information has been edited or changed in any way, |
| things as their abilities, skills, and knowledge. | | | | and all links are left active and unchanged. |
| Common interview questions here, may be in sets, | | | | |