How to Conduct Interviews

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Guide for Managers - How to Conduct Interviews

The Interviewing Guide for Managers

So, you’re going to do some interviewing!  Whether you’re an old pro or this is your first time, it’s a good idea to follow consistent interview guidelines and procedures.

Interviews are crucial to the recruiting and hiring process. Regardless of format, the main purpose of any employment interview is to facilitate the exchange of information between interviewer and candidate.

The interview allows the candidate to sell themselves, their skills, and their experience to the interviewer, and allows the interviewer to sell the position, the leaders of the company, and the company’s mission to the candidate.

How to Conduct Interviews - an Overview

This How to Conduct Interviews Guide is a reference for all staff involved in interviewing. It provides consistent interviewing guidelines and procedures, information about legislated requirements; and guidelines related to preparing for and conducting preliminary telephone screening interviews and in-person interviews.

This guide is for anyone involved in conducting phone screen and in-person interviews.  It can be easily customized to describe your company guidelines and practices related to legislated requirements, as well as how to prepare for and conduct effective interviews.

It sets expectations, and provides  guidelines and procedures to be followed by all staff involved in the interview process, including:

• Types of interviews, pros & cons
• Interview dos and don’ts
• Interview preparation

If you are a new manager, new to interviewing, or feel uncomfortable or nervous in the interviewer role, review the guide to familiarize yourself with company standards and expectations around interviewing.  It contains many helpful tips and tricks that will help put both you and the interview candidate at ease. 

Why use an Interviewing Guide

• Ensure adherence to the law and to your company’s guidelines and protocols when your staff conduct interviews
• Equip your managers to conduct better interviews with more consistent results

What you risk by not using the Interviewing Guide

• Interviewing effectiveness is clouded by common misconceptions 
• The people conducting interviews on behalf of your company are not aware of legal do's and don'ts, or interviewing best practices