There are extensive research and tips available for job applicants who are looking for a new source of employment and want to perform well in a face-to-face or phone interview. Experts weigh in on how to answer questions to present a strong first impression, without saying the wrong thing that could sour an interview experience.
It is also important for human resources professionals to understand what questions should be asked, and what certain answers indicate, when interviewing potential hires. Because the way a question is worded and presented can affect the responses, hiring managers and HR professionals should be sure to select strong questions as well as deploy other best practices to gauge the skills and strengths of each applicant. HR services providers have extensive experience in the interview process, allowing companies to spend less time recruiting and more time developing talent.
The Wall Street Journal recently discussed some tips for conducting interviews, including the use of expert HR providers to teach best practices for interacting with job applicants. While some companies believe managers can wing an interview and still be able to select the best candidate, that is not always the case.
Without preparation and coaching on how to behave in an interview, the staffing manager may send out a nonverbal or verbal signal to the applicant that can reduce interest in the position or spark certain types of answers. Hiring managers should make the candidate comfortable from the start, relate to his or her stories and make the experience conversational. When the candidate is at ease, he or she will be more likely to open up and provide honest, in-depth answers to provide a thorough view of skills and strengths.
