Types of interviews, their advantages and disadvantages - abstract. Interview as a key method of personnel selection: types of interviews and their specifics, scenarios

One of the stages of getting a job is an interview. There are different types of interviews: individual and group, biographical and free. To get the desired position, you must successfully pass the interview. To do this, you need to figure out in advance how to pass different types of interviews.

Individual interview

An individual interview is the most common type of interview, which includes communication of one employer with each applicant separately. Such a dialogue allows the employer and the candidate for the position to establish a trusting relationship and conduct the conversation in the most meaningful way. In a short time, you can discuss all the necessary topics and get full and frank answers from the job seeker. Due to the fact that strangers are not present at such an interview, the candidate will be able to communicate without unnecessary excitement and present himself from the best side.

The disadvantage of an individual interview is the situation when the employer compares the applicant for a position with previous applicants and subjectively overestimates or underestimates his impressions. A well-conducted interview will help you get to know your future employee better. If he is not suitable for the declared position due to insufficient experience or lack of certain skills, he may be offered another vacancy at the same enterprise.

Group interview with several applicants

For many candidates for the position, an unpleasant surprise is the need to communicate at the interview not only with the employer, but also with their competitors. Applicants can be a different number - from 5 to 20 people.

Such a job interview usually follows a general scenario: first, the employer talks about the company and the vacancy, and then asks all applicants to introduce themselves and tell a little about themselves. Also, each candidate will be asked why he thinks that he should be hired for an open position. During a group interview, applicants for a vacancy are divided into several teams and asked to perform certain tasks. So the employer can observe how people will work in an unusual environment, as well as evaluate their ability to work in a team.

Group interview with several company employees

Such a meeting is held if the open vacancy involves the presence of highly professional skills that one employee of the HR department cannot assess. Also, a group interview is conducted if the recruiter has recently taken up the position and has not yet had time to prove himself.

To test the knowledge of the applicant, specialists from the department where the future employee will work are invited. They communicate with the candidate for the position, checking his professional skills. The personal qualities of the employee are also discussed in order to understand how well he will fit into the already formed team of the department.

It is easy to get lost in such an interview, because the questions are asked in fast pace and completely on different topics. During communication, people often feel nervous, as they feel like they are being cross-examined. It is important to stay calm and confident, as well as answer all questions as fully as possible.

Online interview

An online interview is used when a candidate or employer lives in another city or even country. This type of communication will save time on the road, as well as help the applicant to communicate more confidently, thanks to the familiar home environment. How to interview online:

• Choose your clothes carefully - you should look as if the interview will take place in the office. Strict appearance will help to tune in to a business conversation.
• It is necessary to take care of the background for the place of communication in advance. It can be a wall or a window, but the appearance of a carpet on the wall or household details is undesirable.
• During a conversation with the employer, there should be silence in the apartment. You need to ask the family not to interfere with the conversation, and also remove pets from the room.
• Check the technique so that during the conversation the conversation is not interrupted due to incorrect program settings.
• Some companies record these types of interviews on video so others in the organization can watch them. Therefore, you need to carefully control your speech, be concise, polite and friendly.

Biographical interview

A biographical interview is based on a discussion of facts from the life of the candidate, such as experience, previous jobs, education, skills. During such an interview, the following questions are usually asked:

• What university did you graduate from?
• Why did you choose this educational institution?
• What attracted you to your chosen specialty?
• What caused you to leave your previous job?
• What would you change in your life if you could go back a few years?

In order not to get confused during the interview, it is necessary to think over the best answers in advance, that is, to be able to clearly tell about your biography. If you have work experience or special skills in the field of a vacant position, you should focus on this and tell in more detail about your knowledge.

situational interview

Fictitious problem-solving types of interviews have gained popularity in recruiting sales staff and sales managers. A situational interview involves a fictional setting by the employer when the applicant must describe his behavior. With such an interview, the future employee will show what behavior he considers socially correct. Each company has its own moral values, and the employer will be able to understand whether this applicant is suitable for an open position.

A situational interview can test an employee's personal or professional skills. So, to determine the culture to which the candidate is accustomed, the following task can be proposed: “The visitor came to the appointment with the boss 15 minutes earlier. What are you going to do?" The right decision is to ask the manager if he will accept the person. In case of a negative answer, invite the visitor to sit down for the waiting time.

Free interview

A free interview resembles the acquaintance of two people, and the applicant speaks more than the employer. So the employer most informally tries to understand whether the future employee will be able to get used to the team. Such an interview is conducted in situations where a large number of applicants are not expected for an open position or with minimal selection criteria.

An example of a free talk interview is asking a candidate to talk about their life. The applicant must describe family, education, work experience, hobbies and future plans. It is difficult to prepare for such an interview in advance, because the employer asks any questions that come to his mind while the candidate is talking. But you can think in advance of a short and interesting presentation of your biography. When talking about yourself, you should try not to deviate from the main topic of the conversation, otherwise the employer will be able to give only an informal assessment, without understanding the candidate's professional skills.

serial interview

A serial job interview means several interviews with different employees of the company in one day. Applicants for especially responsible positions are evaluated different people, starting as an employee of the personnel department and ending with the director of the enterprise. Then these results are summarized and analyzed, after which a decision is made to approve or reject the candidacy.

Such an interview is tiring for the applicant, as you need to spend a lot of time waiting for one or another employee, as well as answering repeated questions several times. It is important for the candidate not to show their tiredness or boredom and try to maintain interest during each interview.

How to pass a job interview:

• View the location of the interview site and plan your itinerary. It is better to write down the desired stop and street in advance than to call the employer and specify the address.
• Arrive at the interview on time so that the employer does not have to wait. You can even arrive 10-15 minutes early.
• You should dress neatly - the best option would be business or classic style. Hair should be neat and shoes clean.

• For more confident communication with the employer, you should study the company's website, read the history of its creation, organizational structure, see the list of goods or services provided. So the employer will see the interest of the candidate in obtaining this position.
• You need to look in advance for information about what types of interviews there are. Thus, any form of passing the interview will not come as a surprise.
• During the interview, you must communicate politely, do not interrupt the employer and answer questions in detail.

When preparing for an interview, you need to tune in to its successful completion in order to show your interest to the employer and prove yourself the best candidate for the position.

Everyone has had a chance to participate in an interview at least once in their life. Someone took part as a candidate for a vacancy, while someone, on the contrary, acted as an evaluator, being a potential employer. Depending on the rules adopted in different companies and even industries, there are different practices for organizing this conversation between the two parties.

What is an interview for?

An interview is a process of communication between an employer and a candidate who applies for an open position in a company. Usually, complete organization interview lies on the shoulders of the HR manager or HR manager. This person must first find a suitable candidate, get management approval of his resume, and then arrange a meeting with the candidate. Some companies do not have a dedicated HR specialist, so organizational issues can be resolved by other people, for example, secretaries or managers directly interested in a new employee. Someone prefers to outsource recruitment issues to an agency or work with a remote freelance recruiter. In this case, the first interview takes place on the territory of the recruiting company.

An interview is necessary for both parties for the initial assessment of each other. The employer assesses the candidate's professional skills and his psychological qualities, and the candidate, as a first approximation, studies the potential job, gets acquainted with the list of possible tasks and often with the immediate supervisor.

What types and methods of interviewing exist

Depending on the level of the position for which the candidate will be interviewing, on the conditions of the interview and on its goals, recruiters can use different kinds and methods of conducting interviews:

• structured interview;
• situational or case interview;
• projective interview;
• competency interview (behavioral);
• stress (shock) interview;
• brainteaser-interview.

Some companies also deliberately practice the group interview format, which is not the most respected among job seekers. Several applicants take part in it at once, forced to compete with each other. At the same time, the employer can choose the most interesting from several candidates.

Author's personal practice this material shows that very often fragments of different types are collected in one interview. For example, a recruiter conducts a basic acquaintance with a candidate in the format of a structured interview, asking expected questions about education and work experience. A potential manager participating in the first interview together with a recruiter can ask several cases or arrange a small stressful interview.

Structured interview

The most common is the structured interview. This format is the most logical and simple in terms of organizing the event. The interview takes place in a tête-à-tête format. The representative of the employer asks the applicant standard questions and receives direct answers about the candidate's education, qualifications, work experience, professional and life expectations. Such a conversation allows you to understand the level of compliance of the candidate with the formal requirements for the position, as well as how easily he will be able to fit into the work team.

Most often, the interview is conducted according to a predetermined scheme.

situational interview

A case interview implies that in addition to standard questions, the candidate will be asked to solve several practical problems from the practice of a given company or industry as a whole. This way you can determine the candidate’s train of thought and suggest how he will act in a work situation.

Projective interview

A projective interview involves a shift in focus from the candidate to an imaginary third person who solves some problems. The task of the applicant in this case is to comment as quickly as possible on the actions of the people involved in the situation given by the interviewer. This method is based on the principle that each of us has a tendency to analyze other people's actions from the standpoint of our own experience. So, in order to reveal the life values ​​of the candidate, they ask the question of why the employee could be fired, in which case the employee can steal from the employer or lie to him. Asking why people are late for appointments will help reveal attitudes towards punctuality.

behavioral interview

The longest time is usually the competency assessment interview. Here, it is the candidate's professional experience that is closely studied, and the results of his answers are carefully evaluated according to various types of scales (competences).

shock interview

A stress interview is used to assess the level of conflict and stress resistance of a candidate. This method is non-standard and is most often practiced in relation to representatives of certain professions. In particular, the ability to keep a cool head in the face of a brewing conflict is very useful for top managers, sales people, and insurance agents. It is very easy to understand that you have become a participant in a stressful interview. The interviewer may deliberately provoke conflict, make inappropriate comments, and ask incorrect questions in order to throw the candidate off balance.

Brainteaser interview

The brainteaser interview is used to assess the creativity of candidates. To successfully pass such an interview, the candidate must show enough to solve non-standard logical tasks level of resourcefulness and strong independent work skills.

A long wait before a meeting may not be the interlocutor's forgetfulness, but a test of stress resistance

Other types of interviews

When organizing interviews, various special tools for communication are widely used today. In general, it should be noted that the format of the interview very much depends on the level of the position for which the candidate is applying, as well as on the industry itself, within which the person wants to work. So, for the selection of performers of creative professions (film actors, models, and so on), the interview is called casting or samples and takes place in a format that differs significantly from the introductory interview for office employees.

New forms of interviewing have also opened up thanks to the availability of modern technologies. Thus, video interviews are becoming more widespread in some circles. Such interviews can be arranged using various computer services, the most famous of which is Skype. The convenience of this format lies in the fact that both the applicant and the recruiter, as well as other interview participants, can be located in different parts of the world. The main condition for conducting an interview via Skype is a good Internet channel. Many IT companies conduct at least one of the first interviews with a candidate this way.

There are also special services that allow you to conduct video interviews in a different way. Its essence is that first the recruiter records his questions to the candidate on video, then the candidate answers these questions in front of the video camera and sends his answer to the recruiter. He can view the candidate's response at any convenient time. This format helps the HR specialist to process more applications.

Video: types of job interviews

How is the interview

A common practice today is to conduct a whole chain of job interviews. A modern candidate will have to go through two to five interviews before receiving the coveted offer. There are no uniform requirements for the number of interview stages, and each company independently determines the procedure for communicating with candidates for each of the vacancies.

Communication usually starts with telephone conversations or correspondence by e-mail. If a recruitment agency is looking for candidates, the first contact can also be made by the manager of this agency.

The first interview in the company traditionally takes place with an HR manager. To save time, some employers prefer to have the first conversation over the phone or Skype. Adherents of more conservative methods immediately invite the candidate to the office. At this stage, the HR specialist evaluates the general adequacy of the candidate, as well as compliance with the formal criteria for the vacancy. Some positions require mandatory preliminary testing of the candidate. After the level of professional competencies is confirmed, line managers and, in some cases, top management of the employing company are connected to the interviews.

Of course, we are not always talking about such a long chain of interviews. In most cases, people try to save their time and make a job offer after two or three interviews.

The pattern in which each of the interviews in the chain takes place is to some extent standard and is determined by the host. As a rule, the recruiter sets the pace and general mood of the conversation. The professionalism of this person also largely determines the results of the interview and the conclusions that each of the parties will make for themselves. Most often, the scheme of the conversation looks like this:

1. The recruiter offers the candidate the opportunity to tell about himself that the latter considers relevant in the context of a particular vacancy.
2. Those present ask him various clarifying questions.
3. If a potential manager participates in the meeting, he can ask the applicant to solve or comment on any task from the practice of the enterprise.
4. After the participants from the employer's side find out everything that interests them about the candidate, it will be his turn to ask questions about the company.

What questions are often asked to candidates and how to answer them correctly

Candidates can be asked any question during the interview. Of course, most of the questions will be standard and aimed at clarifying various formal details of the applicant's biography. Answering questions about where you studied and worked should be calm, confident and truthful. There are no special tricks here.

A well-prepared candidate should not be confused by interview questions

Much more interesting and more difficult will be questions with a greater degree of abstraction - those for which there may not be a single correct and unambiguous answer. It is important to remember that when you are asked such a “weird” or “stupid” question, the recruiter will be interested not so much in the content of the answer as in your first reaction. The question may be directed to something unpleasant for you, to a moment in your biography or resume that can cause negative emotions.

Interviews often ask you to talk about your biggest failure and biggest success. When answering, one must be honest, since everyone has ups and downs, and a person who has never experienced either victory or defeat makes a rather negative impression.

Among the non-standard ones is, for example, the question of professional plans for the next five (ten, fifteen, and so on) years. Based on the answer, the recruiter will get an idea of ​​the direction in which you are interested in developing and whether it is interesting at all what kind of career you are going to build. So, if you want to leave for another country in a few years, you may not be hired to work in a government organization, but for an international corporation with offices in different countries, you will turn out to be a very deeply motivated worker. The socially desirable response is to show that you are moderately ambitious and are serious about your future. True, you need to be prepared for the fact that this answer will be followed by an insidious request to tell what exactly you are already doing to achieve your goals. If you do not have a ready answer to this question, the plan announced earlier will look like empty dreams and characterize you not from the best side.

Often at interviews, you can also hear the question of how the candidate is engaged in his professional development. From your answer, the recruiter will understand whether you seriously identify yourself with the chosen specialty, whether you are inclined to self-improvement or will work only from call to call. Be prepared to ask questions about the last professional book you read or the training you took. It is in the interests of a motivated applicant to be aware of the latest innovations in their industry, to be able to explain the contents of the top books in an understandable language, and to explain the methods used in the profession.

Don't try to show yourself smarter than you really are. The use of concepts and terms, the meaning of which is not familiar to you, can go sideways.

Video: Frequent interview questions and answers

How to pass a job interview

On the Internet, you can easily find many articles that detail what and how to do in order to pass an interview and get a job offer. At the same time, if everything were so simple, the very need for such articles would have disappeared long ago. It is important to understand that there is no magic pill, and even the most detailed instructions cannot guarantee a positive outcome of the interview. Expert articles provide general guidelines that will help the candidate feel more confident in the interview process and better understand the expectations of the other side.

How to prepare

First of all, you need to study all available information about a potential employer: a website on the Internet, social networks, offline points of sale, publications in the media, blogs, and so on. It is not worth neglecting this preliminary research, relying on the fact that you will be able to orient yourself on the spot. You should definitely check the presence of the employer in various anti-ratings, look for employee reviews, from which you can find out if there are problems with paying wages, whether the management is adequate, and so on. Some candidates, having studied the employer in more detail, will generally prefer to refuse to go to an interview, since they will come to the understanding that this company is not suitable for them for some reason. For those job seekers who make it to the employer's office for a meeting on the appointed day and hour, the results of these studies will also serve in good stead. It's rare for an interview candidate to avoid being asked what they know about the company they want to work for. It is obvious that a person who has devoted at least some time to thematic Internet surfing will look much more advantageous against the background of citizens who did not want to pay attention to this issue.

Appearance at the interview is very important - the candidate's clothes must match the general style of the company

For professionals applying for certain positions, for example, in the field of marketing, PR and public relations, a preliminary study of the company in open sources is critical. When searching and analyzing information, they should not only form for themselves some kind of image of the company, but also note the strengths and weak spots in promotion, think over options for optimizing the strategy for working with the external environment. In 99 cases out of 100, the employer will ask the marketer as test task analyze the site, and ask the PR specialist how he will promote the company's product or resolve conflicts in social networks.

When preparing for an interview, ask yourself why the employer needs a person for this vacancy, what the company can expect from the candidate. Evaluate your resume with someone else's eyes and think about what slippery moments it has, how you will comment on them if asked. For example, breaks between work, frequent transitions from place to place, short duration of work in specific companies.

Prepare questions that you will ask the recruiter about the company and the vacancy. In addition to the standard question about the content of the job, you have the right to inquire about the reason for the vacancy, in particular, is it a new position that appeared, for example, due to the expansion of the department, the replacement of a departed employee, or the result of the owner dispersing the entire previous department in anger. An indirect indicator by which a company can be valued is the timing of the publication of a job advertisement. That is, the length of time during which the employer cannot find a suitable candidate. Information about staff turnover can also tell a lot about working conditions.

Video: interview preparation

How to behave

If you came to the interview earlier than the appointed time, and you were asked to wait on the couch in the lobby, try to use this time to good use. Instead of monitoring social networks look around on your smartphone. You may be interested in the quality of the design of the premises, the convenience of planning, the appearance of the employees who catch your eye. Listen to how the receptionist answers incoming calls, how colleagues communicate with each other. If you smoke, go to a local smoking room before your interview. Sometimes from conversations in an informal setting you can find out all the ins and outs.

The author of this material was convinced from his own experience that it is worth paying attention to such an ambiguous thing as toilets. Of course, the quality of the organization of the restroom cannot be the only argument in favor of accepting the proposal or refusing it, but an observant person will be able to draw the right conclusions for himself. The author once happened to attend an interview in construction company, focused on private suburban construction. In order to increase accessibility to potential customers, the company moved to an office near one of the central metro stations, but sales did not grow. The company's management saw the solution to the problem in strengthening the marketing department. The author was greatly embarrassed by a note taped to the toilet stall door, in which an unknown author appealed to colleagues not to steal toilet paper and air freshener. This is hardly capable of creating a sense of reliability and security for potential customers from interacting with the contractor. It is difficult to expect competent business decisions and at least some care for the staff from people for whom such inscriptions are not something out of the ordinary.

If you didn’t get a call back at the end of the interview, be sure to try calling the recruiter to find out true reason failure. Try not to drive the person to trying to get rid of you at any cost. Explain why you need truthful information. Do not try to challenge the results of the interview.

Common mistakes during an interview

Candidates make a lot of mistakes in interviews every day. The most common is the non-observance of simple and well-known forms of ethics, courtesy and business etiquette: showing up too early or late, dressing inappropriately, being the first to say "you" or, conversely, being too stiff or formal when interviewers offer a soft and friendly manner of communication. Both the lack of contact and excessive swagger will not play in your favor. It is necessary to be able to navigate the situation, feel the interlocutor and be flexible, but be sure to maintain self-esteem in any atmosphere. So, it is useful to show interest in the job, but showing that you are ready for anything to get this job is already wrong. It is always recommended to stick to the balance, the golden mean.

Interview mistakes are largely due to the inability to leave a good impression of yourself.

Do not try to win over the interviewer or potential boss personally (make eyes, joke when inappropriate, be overly verbose). You need to be able to hear what is being asked, clearly identify the main message of the question, answer concisely and specifically, and, if asked, expand the answer in more detail. Do not immediately answer in detail and start a conversation from afar.

An example of a correct answer.

Applicant: "6 people".

An example of an incorrect answer.

Interviewer: "How many people did you manage on this project?"

Applicant: “This project involved both in-state and out-of-state people, as well as several freelancers who changed frequently…”

Often candidates come for an interview without first studying the company and its position in the market. This is also a common mistake. Candidates who are unable to demonstrate even knowledge of the market and the industry as a whole show blatant incompetence.

A negative impression on the employer is made by overly frank candidates, as well as candidates who lie with inspiration. The ideal tactic is to be honest, not to lie, but to keep back a little on some details. For example, do not indicate the real motives for leaving the company if the real reason was a serious personal conflict with guidance, regardless of whether you were right in this situation or not. Conflict is not the best characteristic of an employee. Do not lie in response to a direct question, but also do not focus on slippery moments. It's best not to lie in an interview. When you do not know something, you can say that you do not remember exactly, but you can guess and speculate a little on this topic, if you are allowed. This behavior will impress an honest man who does not give up and is ready to look for options.

Video: typical mistakes of applicants

How to prepare for an interview in English or another language

Preparing for an interview in a foreign language essentially has little difference. Of course, a lot depends on how fluent you are in the language. Being confident in your language skills will make the interview process much easier for you. To refresh them, you can watch videos on Youtube with typical questions and answers. Do not memorize ready-made answers. Recruiters are distrustful of candidates who respond very smoothly, with a well-placed voice and extremely logical and verified text. This answer contains all the indicators of memorization and excessive preparedness for an interview. You must be confident and positive, but give the impression of being natural. It is necessary to be natural, and not to portray and seem.

Video: how to prepare for an interview in English if your English is not perfect

What methods of evaluating candidates exist

Candidate evaluation begins even before the interviewer's first call. This is a review of a resume and a cover letter, which show skills in working with text, the ability to structure information and submit it in writing, the level of Russian or a foreign language, the adequacy of salary requests, self-presentation skills. The next step is to evaluate the candidate telephone conversation. It is performed based on the tone and timbre of the applicant's voice, as well as taking into account the content of the answers to the questions. Of course here essential role the so-called human factor also plays, so the first fleeting impression, made even by phone call, can spoil the situation for the candidate. That is why talking with a recruiter on the phone makes sense only when you are really ready for it, that is, you are not busy with anything, you are not disturbed by extraneous sounds or unwitting bystanders, your voice is calm, you can give thoughtful answers. If you don't feel mentally prepared for a phone conversation, it's best to hang up the call or ask to call back at another time.

It is very difficult to perform an objective assessment of a person, so there is no unambiguously recommended universal test or method for performing such an assessment. In fact, tests and methods are only a tool for collecting data about a person according to a certain system. The main role in the analysis and conclusions belongs to the recruiter or other specialist.

For a fair assessment of the applicant, you must remember the following recommendations:

• it is worth evaluating not so much the psychological and other qualities of a person as his behavior and specific results of activity;
• not only the results must be taken into account, but also the conditions under which they were obtained;
• the results of formal tests can be correctly assessed only by an experienced recruiter with rich professional and life experience, who is a psychologically and socially mature person.

Methods used for evaluation include:

• method of peer review, when an expert from the industry, in the presence of an HR manager, communicates with a candidate in narrow professional or behavioral areas;
• professional testing to determine the level of qualification of the candidate or to identify, for example, creative abilities;
• solving cases and situational problems;
• filling out personality questionnaires;
• verification of the recommendations submitted by the candidate.

In practice, recruiters most often use a combination of these methods, since each of them has both advantages and disadvantages. For example, a completed personality questionnaire may provide comprehensive information on a candidate, but the information may be implausible as a savvy applicant calculates socially acceptable answers. Another option is that the personality questionnaire will show the sincere desire of the candidate for a certain activity, but his professional experience and skills may not correspond to his desires at the moment.

Evaluation of a potential employee can be carried out in different directions

There are also non-standard assessment methods for role models of behavior, for example, a film test. Its essence is that a person is asked about his favorite films or offered to evaluate situations from well-known films. Depending on what intentions and possibilities of behavior a person will ascribe to these or those characters, an experienced researcher will draw conclusions about the person himself.

What is a Candidate Evaluation Sheet

For each position there is a set of essential requirements for the personal and professional skills of the candidate. They are placed on a separate sheet, in which the evaluating specialist assigns points or comments on the applicant's compliance with the required level. When each of those present at the interview has such a sheet, all these questionnaires are taken into account in the final analysis. This approach allows you to evaluate the same quality from different angles.

Recommendation to job seekers: never try to look over a recruiter's shoulder to find out what he writes on the evaluation sheet. Instead, make it a rule to take notes during the interview as well. So you will make a positive impression on the employer, form the image of a person who is collected, rational and interested in analyzing the results of the meeting.

A case from the practice of one IT recruiter familiar to the author. One of the candidates of a technical specialty during interviews never hesitated to ask again unfamiliar terms or technologies new to him and always wrote everything down in a notebook. IN free time this person additionally studied the information on the identified updates. So he learned what was relevant in the market, what employers needed, and each subsequent interview, even if it did not end with a job offer, in any case made him more prepared. You can, of course, rely on your memory and not write anything down, but in this case one of the employers really liked this approach of a person to self-education and his focus on self-development. The life values ​​of the applicant coincided with the corporate values ​​of a particular company, and our specialist received a job offer.

The evaluation sheet can also act as a mandatory form of reporting during an interview by a hired recruitment agency.

How to present interview results

The results of the interview are most often drawn up in the form of an evaluation sheet. The more participants from the employer's side take part in the meeting, the more voluminous the "portrait" of the candidate is. The most important are the assessments received from the applicant's potential supervisor, as well as from the leading expert in this specialty.

Photo gallery: an example of filling out an evaluation sheet

Initially, basic information about the candidate is presented. The personal qualities of the candidate can be assessed on various scales. The assessment of the level of knowledge and skills of the candidate will vary according to different areas activities Evaluation of the candidate's experience is carried out depending on the specific requirements Final entry in the evaluation sheet - recommendations for the candidate

Job interview protocol

The interview protocol is a standard document and should include a brief summary of the candidate's assessment, conclusions about the strengths and risks that the interviewer found in it. Each company has the right to develop its own form of protocol.

Each company has the right to create its own standard protocol template

Of course, the passage of a job interview causes stress for the applicant. However, you can try to minimize the emotional tension during the meeting by paying sufficient attention to the preparatory process. Inner calmness and self-confidence will help the candidate maintain the right attitude during the interview and make a good impression on the potential employer.

Decisions related to the selection of personnel can be very expensive, and therefore it makes sense to take a closer look at the interview process and its technology.

The main purpose of the selection interview (some authors use the term “interview”) is to get an answer to the question of whether the applicant is interested in this job and whether he is able to perform it. In this case, it usually becomes necessary to compare several candidates.

The selection interview should answer the following questions:

• Will the candidate be able to this work?
• will he fulfill it?
• Is the candidate suitable for this job (will he be the best)?

The answers to these questions provide a useful basis for making a decision.

If the interview is conducted by several specialists, distribute the roles among them, because each of them must be assigned a specific “field” of activity and each of them must refrain from the temptation to insert his remarks and comments during the interview. Your goal is to get information, to “talk” the applicant. In practice, this means that 70% of the time the candidate should talk and 30% you. It requires the ability to formulate questions. Therefore, the first necessary skill is the ability to ask questions.

The second thing you should be able to do is to control the course of the interview, that is, to make sure that the applicant talks about what you want.

The third important skill is the ability to listen (to listen means to perceive what is heard, remember and analyze).

The fourth skill is the ability to judge or make a decision.

There are various techniques that can be very effective in guiding the interview process. Of course, they are not universal means that guarantee success, but it is useful to apply and test them in the practice of interviewing.

For example, if you want the interviewee to say more about what you are asking him about, then when asking a question or ending his remark:

• look the interlocutor directly in the eyes and smile;
• do not interrupt the speaker;
• do not make long pauses;
• ask more general, open-ended questions;
• occupy active position talking about yourself or expressing your opinion.

If you want the interviewee to speak in more detail on the proposed topic; That:

• Express your approval with encouraging exclamations;
• express disagreement with him.

If you want to stop the interviewee, then:

• agree with him;
• look away;
• lean forward and place your hands in front of you.

An evasive form of approval can be nodding or making sounds like "mmm" or "uh-huh." If you want the interviewee to dwell on a question in detail, you can repeat in an interrogative form some of the words he has just said, for example: “I worked as a designer for several years” - “Designer?”

From time to time you need to change the topic of conversation. If you do this discreetly and naturally, then this will allow you to keep the impression that there is a regular conversation (and not an interrogation!), And this will help in establishing such a complex element in communication as mutual understanding. But before you change the topic of conversation, make sure that everything that has been said does not leave you in doubt and does not create the wrong impression. Equally, you should be prepared to "probe" those issues that the applicant may feel uncomfortable asking (for example, clarifying family circumstances, if they may be related to work). But do it naturally.

The ability to listen is the ability not only to hear, but also to see, perceive and analyze information. It should be remembered that the interview is the perception by your organs of sight and hearing of the necessary information about the candidate. And if your "receptors" don't respond properly, or worse, if you've already made up your mind, then this whole activity can turn into a charade. By the way, this is one of the reasons why the interview is not always a reliable tool for selecting personnel.

The following are cautions against making the most serious mistakes in the selection interview.

1. Interviewers form a stereotypical idea of ​​a "good" candidate, which they try to apply to interviewees without evaluating them on their true merits.
2. Often, an opinion about the applicant is formed at the very beginning of the interview.
3. Interviewers are greatly influenced by negative rather than positive information about an applicant.
4. The completed application of the applicant and his appearance are the cause of prejudice.
5. Interviewers are looking for confirmation of their opinion about the applicant, which they already have.

Your emotions can also interfere with the formation of a credible image of the applicant. During the interview, you may feel sympathy for him, or, conversely, after some answers, hostility arises. This may be the result of a discrepancy in assessments or dissimilarity of characters. But your emotions are already “turned on” and, apparently, will lead to a distorted view of a person, prevent you from forming an objective opinion about him. Therefore, it is not surprising that the interview is considered a rather unreliable selection method.

The variety of problems that accompany the interview can be eliminated if you are sufficiently proficient in the art of communication, in particular, actively listening and mastering the specifics non-verbal communication(materials on this problem are presented in more detail in the fifth chapter).

If you managed to resist the temptation to make a decision at the beginning of the interview, then looking only for evidence of the correctness of your opinion about the candidate, then we can say that you are sufficiently armed with the recommendations that were discussed above. After the applicant leaves (how to complete the interview, we will dwell on this below), you need to group the collected information about the applicant, analyze it and make an informed decision.

The information you have collected is a jumbled mass of impressions and quickly fading details that you think the applicant was talking about. Therefore, even before you begin an interview with another applicant, immediately begin processing the results. (Studies conducted immediately after the interview showed that interviewers, on average, gave only 50% correct answers to questions about exactly what the applicant said.)

At this stage, the notes you took during the interview are most relevant. Most professionals advise against taking notes during an interview; it distracts applicants. True, if only the production is inept. Try to overcome your inability, but, most importantly, still lead them. Briefly. Unobtrusively, capturing key points.

Making the final decision is hard work. Practice shows that the groundlessness of the decision can be based on various points, including the appearance of the applicant, belonging to a certain social group, gender, or simply on the fact that the applicant and the interviewer studied at the same educational institution. The unreasonableness of the decision made may come from the so-called “halo effect”: some specific quality is found in the applicant, on the basis of which it is assumed that he has a number of other qualities (the interviewer often speculatively deduces their presence from this really existing quality of the applicant). In general, interviewers tend to either overestimate or underestimate their candidates.

At the stage of making the final decision, you should keep in mind and try to answer the three questions named at the beginning of the paragraph.

The criteria for making a decision on the answers to the first question (whether the candidate will be able to perform this job?) Are formulated in the form of requirements imposed on the staff by the job itself.

The next question (Will the candidate do the job?) is somewhat more difficult, since it uses criteria of a more abstract nature: motivation to do the job, incentives, diligence, enthusiasm. Will the applicant be fully satisfied with the job offered? These are just some of the criteria you could use.

If there are several applicants with the same qualifications and motivation to perform the proposed work (they can ’ and will do it), then the decisive factor in the final selection is the answer to the question: is the applicant suitable for the job, will he be the best for her and for the organization? In practice, the formation of an opinion and the adoption of decisions on appointment to a position are often associated with the third question, putting it before the first and second ones. They often answer it intuitively, and not rationally. What could be the criteria in this case? This is the appearance, clothing, personal qualities, behavior, manners, education. This list could easily be extended to include criteria that are clearly questionable, if not actually illegal.

Therefore, do not lose sight of the fact that you are primarily selecting a specialist, presenting him with certain requirements arising primarily from the first two questions. And only when you have two or more applicants in front of you who equally meet the criteria for these two questions, the answers to the third question are included in the decision-making process.

Once you have ensured that you have collected all the required information, it is important that the applicant is given the following options:

1. firstly, you should invite the interlocutor to say what, in his opinion, was not covered in the interview, or to provide more detail about what was not said enough (for example, about any fact that would testify in favor of the applicant. All one should not lose sight of the excitement and modesty of individual people, because of which they may miss any important information in the story about themselves);
2. secondly, you should invite the applicant to ask you questions so that he can clarify any details regarding the proposed work and conditions.

The interview should usually be conducted by a representative of the personnel management service of the company and a manager, a representative of the department, section, service where there is a vacant position for which the employee is selected. When conducting an interview, you must adhere to a number of socio-psychological requirements:

1. have a pre-prepared conversation plan;
2. at the very beginning of the interview, try to relieve the possible stress of the candidate, the style of the interview should be friendly, encouraging;
3. give the candidate an opportunity to speak (it is desirable that the candidate speaks more than the interviewer), try not to allow the conversation to deviate from the main direction;
4. be objective, try not to take into account the first impression of the candidate (it may be erroneous), make a conclusion only after the end of the interview. An experienced interviewer can rely on intuition, but be sure to take into account their possible biases.

During the interview, you should pay attention to the appearance of the candidate (style of clothing, demeanor, posture), culture of behavior (gestures, facial expressions, manners), culture of speech (the ability to form and formulate thoughts), the ability to listen, the general strategy of behavior during the interview (activity and interest; dependence on the interlocutor and self-doubt; independence and dominance).

Depending on your personal characteristics and experience, the traditions of the organization, the requirements of a particular vacancy and other factors, interview questions can be very different. However, in any case, a structured interview with standardized questions that touch on the essence of this work will increase the effectiveness of the interview compared to a free unstructured conversation.

Immediately announce the time allotted for this interview. The optimal time is 20 minutes.

The purpose of the interview is to assess professionally important business and personal qualities of the candidate, such as:

• professional knowledge and work experience;
• degree of interest in this work;
• active life position or passivity;
• purposefulness and readiness to work with maximum efficiency;
• the degree of independence in decision-making and responsibility for the results of their work;
• the desire for leadership, the ability to lead and the willingness to obey;
• level intellectual activity the ability to be creative in problem solving;
• willingness to take risks or excessive caution
• ability to speak and listen well;
• appearance and demeanor;
• honesty and decency.

1st question: Tell us a little about yourself. When answering a question, please note the following:

• formally sets out biographical data or immediately lays out "trump cards", emphasizing his desire and opportunity to take this position;
• states only the main thing, that is, speaks about his qualifications, experience, responsibility, interest, diligence and decency, or cites irrelevant facts;
• speaks briefly, precisely, clearly or for a long time and does not express his thoughts well;
• behaves and speaks calmly, confidently or insecurely.

2nd question: How do you look at life: what difficulties do you see in it, and how do you cope with them?

Some people speak in the sense that life is difficult, there are a lot of problems, most of which are insoluble, that people are evil and unfriendly, that there are few joys in life and everything is decided by fate, chance or other people, but neon himself. So, in front of you is a passive person, unsure of himself, not trusting others, pessimistic and unhappy (loser).

Other people speak positively about life: life does not happen without problems, difficulties can be overcome, the fate and career of a person are in his hands, people are friendly and ready to cooperate, a person is the blacksmith of his own happiness. So says a person who takes an active life position, aimed at success, ready to take responsibility, successfully interacting with people and able to enjoy life.

3rd question Q: What attracts you to work with us in this position?

It’s bad if he answers with common phrases: “I am attracted by growth prospects, an interesting job, a solid company ...”. I must give serious and specific arguments: the desire to apply my qualifications and experience where they can give the greatest return and will be appreciated, the attractiveness of working in a strong team of professionals.

4th question: Why do you consider yourself worthy of this position? What are your advantages over other candidates?

This is the best question for a candidate to, without false modesty, name his main advantages over other applicants.

At the same time, he must demonstrate his ability to convince, emphasizing his advantages. It is bad if the candidate answers this question with weak arguments and gives his formal biographical characteristics.

5th question: What are your strengths?

The candidate must emphasize first of all the qualities that are required for this job, and provide convincing evidence on specific facts. But you can hear clichés repeated thousands of times: “I am sociable, neat, executive” and the like. Ask him to clarify what his sociability, accuracy, diligence manifest, what is his manner of listening to the client, what he achieved thanks to his strong qualities.

6th question: What are your weaknesses?

From a smart candidate, you are unlikely to hear repentance for sins and a long list of his shortcomings. He will try to twist the answer so as to further increase his chances of success. For example, he will say: “Many consider me a workaholic”, or “I don’t know how to relax, I only feel good when I work”, or “I am too demanding of myself and others”. If a candidate boasts too much and you want to take him to frank confession existing shortcomings, you can tell him such a joke on this topic. In such a situation, the candidate characterizes himself: “Conscientious, hardworking, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke ...” Then he is asked in surprise: “Do you have any shortcomings?” “There is one,” the candidate admits, “I like to lie.”

7th question Q: Why did you leave your previous job?

It is bad if the reason for leaving was a conflict, if the candidate scolds the orders that were there and his former leader. Leaving work because of a conflict is an escape from difficulties, an admission of one's own defeat, which leaves an imprint on the self-esteem of the individual. A negative attitude towards people, the habit of conflict with employees, and especially with management, is a stable characteristic of a person and will definitely manifest itself in one form or another in a new job.

A good person will emphasize the positive things that happened in his previous work and relationships with people, and will name such worthy reasons as the desire for a more interesting (highly paid, professional growth opportunities) work and the desire to realize his potential to the fullest.

8th question Q: Why did you decide to change jobs?

This question is asked to someone who is working at the time of the interview. As with the answer to the previous question, a story about the conflict will not characterize the candidate from the best side. Whereas the desire for professional growth, expanding the scope of one's knowledge and skills, and raising salaries is respected and welcomed in all developed countries.

9th question: Have you received any other job offers?

The credibility of the candidate will increase if he talks about other job offers, but notes a special interest in this particular one. It is good if he expresses a desire to receive maximum satisfaction from his work. His mood not only affects his health and moral climate in the team, but is also the most important prerequisite for high productivity, the most reliable guarantee against mistakes, negligence and marriage, and ultimately the main guarantee of the prosperity of the company.

10th question: How successful were you in your interviews in other places?

It is important to find out for what reasons did not pass the interview in some places and successfully passed in others. If he convinces that your competitors are interested, then you try to keep him.

11th question: Will your personal life interfere with this work associated with additional loads (irregular working hours, long or distant business trips, constant traveling)?

This question is often asked by women. In an attempt to get around the law, some firms impose harsh conditions, such as not having children for a certain period of time, not applying for sick leave to care for a child, not taking unpaid leave, and so on.

12th question: How do you imagine your position in five (ten) years?

Many people without initiative, who do not plan their careers and lives, answer that they do not imagine such long-term prospects. And a person aimed at personal success will readily talk about his planned professional growth, and possibly life goals.

Max Eggereth in his book Brilliant career spoke about the importance of career planning. At a famous business school, on the first day of class, students were asked who had written down the milestones and goals of their personal careers. Only 3% of them raised their hands.

After 10 years, it is these 3% who have achieved more financial success than the other 97% combined.

13th question: What changes would you make in your new job?

Well, if he shows his initiative, familiarity with the situation of innovation and reorganization. However, this is permissible only with a deep knowledge of the problems in the firm. It is bad if the state of affairs does not know very well, but seeks to redo everything in its own way.

14th question Q: Who can I contact for feedback on your work?

Must readily provide phone numbers or addresses of former co-workers and supervisors. Withholding such information will immediately reveal the lack of positive recommendations or the inexperience of the applicant.

15th question Q: What salary do you expect?

A Russian proverb says: "He who does not know his own price will always sell cheap." A good specialist always knows his worth and expects a high salary. It is better for the candidate to overestimate the expected pay for his work than to underestimate it. If the estimated salary does not suit the candidate, do not forget to "increase the pie" and list the benefits available in the organization: bonuses, medical insurance, children preschool institutions, free travel and meals, free training and other manifestations of care for the staff.

Expected and estimated salary almost always differ.

Along with questions to the candidate, it is advisable for the HR manager to inform the candidate about the features of the organization and new work. What the candidate might be interested in:

• How have the main objectives of the organization changed since its inception?
• Is the staff stable enough, or is there a high turnover of staff?
• What is the form of ownership of the organization?
• Are the terms of employment seasonal?
• What profit does the organization make?
• Does the organization have positive or negative public opinion?
• What new products and services are being developed in the organization?
• Are there connections with foreign organizations?
• What are the prospects for the industry to which the organization belongs?
• Are conservative or progressive methods of work and personnel management used in the organization?
• What are the recruitment criteria?
• What is the wage system?
• What payments and benefits are included in the compensation package (subsidies for food, travel, recreation, medical care, additional insurance, etc.).
• What will be my responsibilities?
• Who will I work with?
• To whom will I report?
• Will I have subordinates, and who exactly?
• What are my career prospects?
• What are the prospects for my salary growth?

A smart and insightful candidate may ask particularly subtle questions that should not take you by surprise. So, one experienced HR consultant admitted that he considers the candidate's questions to be the most important in the interview. He spoke about one person he remembered who seemed completely withdrawn at the beginning of the conversation, did not stand out from the others in any way, until he began to ask questions himself. His few questions were the most sensible and pithy that a consultant had ever heard. The questions suggested a detailed answer, and not a closed type: Yes / No.

The candidate asked the consultant:

• What do you like most about your work here?
• Do you enjoy working here?
• How would you describe the relationship between people here?
• What qualities do I need to have to be hired?
• How do you rate my chances of being accepted?

At the end of the interview, the candidate should thank you for the attention you have given him and agree on the timing of the final decision on hiring. An active applicant will try to keep the initiative, not to languish in anticipation of results, but to agree that he will contact you personally or by phone at the agreed time. After 2-3 days, you can receive a letter of thanks from the candidate in which he will thank you again you for a pleasant interview.

At the end of the interview, it is necessary to summarize on which issues an agreement or understanding has been reached. Be clear about what the applicant can expect and when it will happen. For example, you must tell the applicant when a decision can be made and when you will notify him of this.

It should be noted that the selection interview remains a widely practiced selection method, probably also because employers get the opportunity to get to know applicants personally. However, to counteract possible interviewer bias, recent developments in screening interview techniques take into account:

• more thorough training of interviewers, aimed at eliminating their manifestation of prejudice and teaching them how to evaluate applicants in accordance with the list of requirements that was compiled as a result of the analysis of the proposed work;
• the use of an interview with a clearer structure, in which there is a direct connection with the specifics of the proposed job and the behavior of the applicant in hypothetical situations that “simulate” technical problems solved in real work conditions;
• the use of biographies containing information about the past activities of the applicant, his interests and achievements, which makes it possible to predict behavior when performing future work. Such biographical questionnaires may focus on aspects such as family, education, leisure activities, or specifically focus on questions labor activity. The applicant may be asked to describe his past accomplishments in terms of the level of skill and competence required to carry out the job;
• wider use of tests with typical examples of work situations offered to applicants and with an assessment of their performance.

In contact with

Of course, every person invited for an interview experiences excitement. And this is quite reasonable. After all, the decision of the employer depends on how the meeting and conversation will go. In order for the applicant's chances of getting the desired position to increase significantly, it is necessary to thoroughly prepare for this meeting. Let's try to study the types of interviews in more detail.

What are interviews like?

Interviews are divided into several main types. Why does the applicant need to know exactly what his interview will be like? It's simple: each type has its own characteristics, assessment methodology and questions for candidates. If the candidate is familiar with the characteristic features of a particular type, then he will be able to prepare well in advance for a meeting with the employer. Consider the types of interviews and their features:

Details on how to pass an interview in English:

• structured interview. This type is the most popular among others. Its essence lies in the fact that the manager responsible for the selection of personnel will be asked standard sequential questions. You will certainly know the answers to them, because everything here is banal: “What is your education?”, “What position did you previously work in?”, “Why did you quit?”, “What are your expectations for a future position?” and so on. Here, the main goal of the manager is to find out the basic information from the applicant, as well as the level of his qualifications. The employer will certainly verify the authenticity of the information provided by the applicant. The candidate will be assessed according to his inclusion in the activities of the company;
• situational interview (case interview). This type of interview involves the applicant's answers to a series of hypothetical questions that the manager asks him. Simply put, the candidate is presented with a specific situation and asked to talk about what actions he will take in it. The employer has template answers to the questions asked by the applicant. The way the candidate answers is compared to the template. As for typical situations (they are also called cases), it is with the help of them that the employer can identify the professional and personal qualities of the applicant, draw up a characteristic portrait of him. The main goal of the manager is, based on the answers given during the case interview, to compare the pros and cons of a particular candidate for a vacant position and decide whether the company needs him;
• projective interview. Here the applicant should be ready for quick and clear answers. The interview is conducted at a fast pace, thereby not allowing you to think carefully about the answer to the question. Outcome - the candidate answers the first thing that came to mind.

Basically, at a projective interview, the applicant will have to comment on the actions of third-party people who find themselves in a particular situation. The purpose of the employer who uses this type of interview is to identify the model of behavior and personal qualities of the applicant.

Based on psychological indicators, it is natural for a person to subconsciously put himself in the place of another person and use his own experience. A lot of information regarding the psychological appearance of the applicant can be found out by applying the projective type of interview;

• behavioral or competency based interview. This view is quite similar to the previous one. Here, the applicant is also offered problem situations in which he must participate. But the main focus, nevertheless, is on real life experience. The candidate must tell about how he acted, solving the situation that arose, what actions he took. It expresses it vividly professional quality and the ability to independently solve unexpected problems at work.

The applicant's experience will be a big plus. Assess the level of professionalism of the candidate, using special scales or competencies. They represent a sort of set of characteristics that a specialist should possess: skills, personal qualities, knowledge, and so on. Characteristics can be different, competencies are compiled at the discretion of the manager. It is rather difficult to list all of them, because there are about a hundred competencies. But in a behavioral interview, the set usually consists of 15-20 scales.

Most often, this type of interview is used when choosing a manager. But it is also often used to select other specialists. Having selected successful resumes, the employer checks the accuracy of the information written in them at the interview;

• . Here, the applicant will be tried in every possible way to provoke a conflict. The candidate must be prepared for provocative questions. In this case, it is not so much the correct answer that matters as the correct reaction to the question. Using this type of interview, the employer checks the candidate's stress resistance and his tendency to conflict;
• group interview. The name itself makes it clear that several candidates will be present at the interview at the same time. This type is used to save time, trying to cover as many applicants for a free vacancy as possible. In addition, in a group interview, you can more consider how friendly, sociable and affable the applicant is.

It should be noted that there can be several candidates at the same time in a group interview, as well as several recruitment managers. This contributes to a more objective evaluation of candidates, thereby eliminating bias.

Video training on recruitment "Types of interview"

Types of interviews

Interviews are usually classified into the following types:

• Depending on the content, interviews are divided into biographical, situational and criterial.

Biographical - the candidate, answering the questions of the employer or manager, gives examples from his experience, presenting specific facts from life.

Situational - the applicant must tell about his actions in the situation that the employer offered him. It can be both real and hypothetical.

Criteria - the answers and behavior of the applicant are evaluated according to the criteria, the list of which is prepared in advance (we talked about this earlier).

• depending on the purpose, they are divided into screening, qualifying and serial.

Screening interviews look like a preliminary conversation, after which only some of the applicants will be invited to the interview.

Qualifying - only real applicants for this position are invited, where experience, education, goals, etc. are considered in more detail.

Find out in detail how to conduct a Skype interview:

Serial - meaning that the company conducts several types of interviews. Suppose, after conducting a screening interview, the employer conducts a selection interview. Sometimes one candidate has to go through several interviews in a company in order to get a job.

• depending on the form of organization: individual and group. Everything is simple here: individual - directly with one applicant, group - with several at the same time.

Interview Techniques

There are 4 types of methods:

• The British method - the personnel commission talks individually with one applicant. The conversation is about the biography of the candidate, his family and education;
• German method - a mandatory package of documents, including recommendations, must be submitted to the employer in advance. Documents are carefully checked for correct execution and authenticity. Only after that the candidate is invited for an interview;
• American method - creative and intellectual ability candidates. For this method characterized by an informal atmosphere where communication takes place;
• Chinese method - applicants take written exams. The candidate must know history and write correctly. Applicants for the vacancy write essays, and those selected from them submit another written work. Those who successfully coped are allowed to interview with the head.

Recruitment: modern interviewing techniques

Before conducting an interview, it is necessary to select a competent person suitable for the role of the interviewer. He must be aware of the specifics of the work of the enterprise and the vacancy itself, which candidates are aimed at, have the skills to build a targeted conversation and be able to draw a correct and impartial conclusion.

The interviewer should be aware of the specifics of the enterprise and the vacancy.

In small enterprises, the recruitment procedure is usually carried out by the managers themselves.

A sample job interview schedule looks like this:

• A brief outline of the purpose of the conversation.
• Dialogue on the general theme of the company.
• Switching attention to the position for which the person is applying.
• Questions about qualifications, experience.
• Answers to the candidate's questions.

Follow this interview procedure, and the interview will take place successfully. If during the conversation it was decided to refuse the candidate, you can correctly inform him about this, indicating the reasons.

Requirements for an effective interview

There are rules for organizing interviews. Let's start with what the interviewer must have:

• List of all candidates and protocols for notes.
• Professiogram of the vacancy (requirements for a potential employee).
• Job instructions.
• Indicative interview schedule.
• List of questions.
• Forms for fixing the answers of applicants.
• Arranged place for interviews.

A room in which no one and nothing distracts from the conversation will help to effectively conduct an interview. If candidates have to wait in line, comfortable chairs and water should be provided. Remember that not only the employer chooses the employee, but the employee also chooses the employer. It would be a shame to lose a good candidate because of a trifle.

A room in which no one and nothing distracts from the conversation will help to effectively conduct an interview.

According to psychologists, the interview will be more productive if the interviewer sits outside desk like on the sofa. This will create an atmosphere of easy communication, evaluate the appearance of the candidate, gestures, facial expressions.

When describing a company, present it in a favorable light, but avoid unmotivated "mountains of gold" if you are counting on long-term cooperation. Short breaks (5-7 minutes) between interviews with the next candidate help to put thoughts on the shelves, tune in to work with a new person and write down information about a potential employee in the protocol, analyzing his answers and behavior.

If the interview is not conducted by the LPM (decision maker), the protocol should be completed in as much detail as possible. Its format is not regulated: it can be prepared in advance or compiled at the discretion of the interviewer. The document must include the personal data of the candidate, his past professional experience. However, the main purpose of the protocol is to make an assessment of the potential employee. Therefore, the interviewer should record notes and important points of the interview in it, which will help form the final opinion and make a decision: to hire or refuse.

If you are looking for an employee for a managerial position, do not conduct more than 5 interviews in one day. It is better to split the process over several days. Otherwise, by the evening the candidates will begin to seem "on the same face."

The list of questions for the interview depends on the specifics of the vacancy. They can affect both the personal sphere of a person’s life and professional. In general, it directly depends on what type or method of interviewing is optimal in your case. A little later we will consider the topic of questions for each specific situation.

Interview methods

There are various types of interviews with potential candidates that can be used by the interviewer.

• British. The hiring decision is made on the basis of a personal conversation. Questions about professional activities and personal life. Suitable for a wide range positions, but as an introductory conversation and to obtain generalized data.
• German. The package of accompanying documents has the advantage (personal files from previous places, letters of recommendation, certificates, diplomas). Pedantic Germans usually carefully check the accuracy of information and pay attention to professional skills (personal qualities are less significant). Ideal for "serious" positions: managers, medical workers, teachers.
• American. Priority of creative, mental and psychological abilities. Forms - passing tests, talking in an informal setting, presenting the company with questions about how a potential employee would act in a given situation. Thus are hired creative professions: creative manager, designer.
• Chinese. Attention to written examinations, e.g. essays, tests. In China, erudite and intellectually developed employees are preferred. The method is suitable for recruiting specialists for positions related to intellectual work: engineer, editor of a publishing house.

In modern personnel practice, one interview technique is rarely used. In addition, HR professionals create their own methods based on the above.

In order to avoid bias towards the interviewee, in large companies there should be several interviewers (2-4 people) or a multi-stage selection is used (for example, a personnel officer - a potential immediate supervisor - a head of a department).

Interview techniques

Any of the following methods may be used to recruit new employees. But this does not mean that you need to choose the first one you like. For hiring for a specific profession, some are suitable, while others are not.

For hiring for a particular profession, some methods are suitable, while others are not.

Based on competencies

It is considered one of the most objective and universal methods for identifying the suitability of a candidate for a specific position. The purpose of the interview is to understand how competent the candidate is in his field.

Questions are asked on professional topics, which should have real foundations. If they touch on a candidate's past experience in a similar position, it can tell a lot.

Asking questions about a candidate's past experience in a similar position can reveal a lot.

For example, if an accountant of the settlement desk is hired, the following question may be asked: “How will you arrange the posting of the receipt of money from the current account to the cash desk of the enterprise?” If we are talking about about the position of a mechanic, questions should be from the category of specific technical topics: “Have you worked with BMW cars before? What is the specificity of their repair?

It is undesirable to trust such interviews to HR managers. We need a person who understands the topic and will be able to assess the competence of the candidate.

situational

The principle of the interview is revealed in the title itself. Suitable for admission to a position where you need to independently and quickly make a decision on the situation: leadership positions, first responders.

Any situation is projected according to the position, and the candidate is asked a specific question, how he will act. The number of situations is from five to ten. Based on the results, the compliance of the employee with the principles of the company's work is assessed.

projective

Here a person is invited to evaluate the actions of other people or characters (films, literary works). The potential employee must analyze the situation and give it a personal or professional assessment. Used for hiring for management positions with a relaxed working atmosphere.

Benefits of this interview:

• Low probability of "correct answers" from the respondent.
• The applicant's expectations can be compared with the actual state of the company.
• The ability to accurately assess the creative and motivational potential of a person.

Unlike the situational principle, some time for reflection may be given. It is acceptable to offer several options and analyze to select the best one. Answers should be as complete and detailed as possible. Professional and personal questions alternate to avoid "tuning" to the situation.

Projective questions allow assessing personal and intellectual potential. Use this technique if the position requires it.

stressful

The interview is suitable for positions in which non-standard situations constantly arise that require endurance: salespeople, show business workers, sales managers, hotline operators, executives, journalists.

Organized in an extremely tense atmosphere. The following methods are allowed:

• The principle of "evil and good cop".
• Cross polls.
• Non-standard questions by profession with clarification of details (sometimes the interview lasts several hours).
• Psychological pressure: deliberate exasperation, indelicate questions.

Stress interviews can be conducted with or without notification of their specific nature. In the second case, the "purity" of the experiment is higher, but there is a risk of non-standard situations (there are also fights).

It is difficult to assess the objectivity of such an interview. Often passing the test is not the result of a stable psyche, but shyness or low self-esteem.

Interview results

At the end of the interview, you should sum up the results, i.e. Prepare a report containing the following information:

• Name of the interviewee.
• Job title.
• Information about the interviewer.
• Date and time of the interview.
• General conclusions (strengths / weaknesses of a person, impressions about the candidate, motivation, recommendations).

The choice of interview methodology for each specific profession is unique, which means that there are no “ideal” methods. Approach this issue carefully, because the wrong choice of a candidate means direct losses to the company (unearned money, reduced product quality, destabilization of the team) and extra time, which is spent on finding and training an employee.