Help with interviewing for the first time
Discussion
Morning chaps,
Looking for a bit of guidance really.
I'm now in a role with my eomplyer where a colleague & i are responsible for a few other guys & overseeing a couple of departments.
One of the guys is leaving & as such we've put an advert out for a replacement.
It's nothing high flying role wise. (Stores person).
However i've never actually had to interview anyone before, the last time i had an interview was 10+ years ago with this employer!
We know a few basic questions we want to ask based on the issues we have with the person currently filling the role, however i'm looking for a bit of interview guidance, with regards to technique, standard questions to ask etc.
I don't want to come across as an a
hole, but also don't want to come across as a push over.
I can Google this all day long for mock questions, however due to the wealth of knowledge on PH i thought it best to ask peple who've been in real world situations.
Looking for a bit of guidance really.
I'm now in a role with my eomplyer where a colleague & i are responsible for a few other guys & overseeing a couple of departments.
One of the guys is leaving & as such we've put an advert out for a replacement.
It's nothing high flying role wise. (Stores person).
However i've never actually had to interview anyone before, the last time i had an interview was 10+ years ago with this employer!
We know a few basic questions we want to ask based on the issues we have with the person currently filling the role, however i'm looking for a bit of interview guidance, with regards to technique, standard questions to ask etc.
I don't want to come across as an a
hole, but also don't want to come across as a push over.I can Google this all day long for mock questions, however due to the wealth of knowledge on PH i thought it best to ask peple who've been in real world situations.
I've had to do a few interviews and this was the format I used:
Intro - Tell them a bit about the company and the role.
Ask about their background in terms of employment and experience.
Role specific questions; strengths etc.
Situational questions; doesn't have to be anything deep just enough for them to speak about how they'd deal with x or what approach they'd take.
Opportunity for them to ask questions. At any level, nice to see some interest / initiate even if its just asking what the next step in the interview process is.
For a certain roles, I'd alter the intro as I'd be expecting them to explain their thoughts on the company and what it does and what the role entails.
Intro - Tell them a bit about the company and the role.
Ask about their background in terms of employment and experience.
Role specific questions; strengths etc.
Situational questions; doesn't have to be anything deep just enough for them to speak about how they'd deal with x or what approach they'd take.
Opportunity for them to ask questions. At any level, nice to see some interest / initiate even if its just asking what the next step in the interview process is.
For a certain roles, I'd alter the intro as I'd be expecting them to explain their thoughts on the company and what it does and what the role entails.
I never bothered with the "standard questions" and all that kind of c**p.
Just went through the CV and picked up on/asked for more information on anything I was interested in. Needed to find out if they could do the job.
Then asked about hobbies/past times etc Needed to find out if they would irritate me/clash because we were going to spend a lot of time together.
I should also note that I hired someone who had no experience etc but was so honest about things, so enthusiastic and just seemed like a really great guy. He ended up being a great employee.
Just went through the CV and picked up on/asked for more information on anything I was interested in. Needed to find out if they could do the job.
Then asked about hobbies/past times etc Needed to find out if they would irritate me/clash because we were going to spend a lot of time together.
I should also note that I hired someone who had no experience etc but was so honest about things, so enthusiastic and just seemed like a really great guy. He ended up being a great employee.
When I was made a team leader I had to interview quite a lot of people (high churn team) with no previous experience in it - I found the best method for me was:
Tell them to relax at the beginning! Try and come across as friendly and not there to grill them, you'll find candidates respond better if they're not feeling put on the spot the whole time (this obviously doesn't apply for more demanding roles).
I tried to be informal with them, and just basically find out what they did / didn't know / have experience of, and tried to ask them to provide examples that I could use to map their skills to the role I had, seemed to work for me I never recruited anyone bad!
Tell them to relax at the beginning! Try and come across as friendly and not there to grill them, you'll find candidates respond better if they're not feeling put on the spot the whole time (this obviously doesn't apply for more demanding roles).
I tried to be informal with them, and just basically find out what they did / didn't know / have experience of, and tried to ask them to provide examples that I could use to map their skills to the role I had, seemed to work for me I never recruited anyone bad!
Jasandjules said:
I never bothered with the "standard questions" and all that kind of c**p.
Just went through the CV and picked up on/asked for more information on anything I was interested in. Needed to find out if they could do the job.
Then asked about hobbies/past times etc Needed to find out if they would irritate me/clash because we were going to spend a lot of time together.
I should also note that I hired someone who had no experience etc but was so honest about things, so enthusiastic and just seemed like a really great guy. He ended up being a great employee.
A lot to be said for finding a fast learning enthusiastic person with minimal preconceptions about how something "should" be done. More effort in short term but can give a better outcome.Just went through the CV and picked up on/asked for more information on anything I was interested in. Needed to find out if they could do the job.
Then asked about hobbies/past times etc Needed to find out if they would irritate me/clash because we were going to spend a lot of time together.
I should also note that I hired someone who had no experience etc but was so honest about things, so enthusiastic and just seemed like a really great guy. He ended up being a great employee.
Jasandjules said:
I never bothered with the "standard questions" and all that kind of c**p.
Just went through the CV and picked up on/asked for more information on anything I was interested in. Needed to find out if they could do the job.
Then asked about hobbies/past times etc Needed to find out if they would irritate me/clash because we were going to spend a lot of time together.
I should also note that I hired someone who had no experience etc but was so honest about things, so enthusiastic and just seemed like a really great guy. He ended up being a great employee.
This too. Standard interview question to adults make me cringe a little.Just went through the CV and picked up on/asked for more information on anything I was interested in. Needed to find out if they could do the job.
Then asked about hobbies/past times etc Needed to find out if they would irritate me/clash because we were going to spend a lot of time together.
I should also note that I hired someone who had no experience etc but was so honest about things, so enthusiastic and just seemed like a really great guy. He ended up being a great employee.
I'd also add to make sure that you ask them directly about anything negative you notice. I hate it when afterwards something has niggled about a person and I hadn't realised it or asked them
blindswelledrat said:
This too. Standard interview question to adults make me cringe a little.
I'd also add to make sure that you ask them directly about anything negative you notice. I hate it when afterwards something has niggled about a person and I hadn't realised it or asked them
By standard i just meant role specific questions, I.E. have you done this before, if so, on what sort of scale.I'd also add to make sure that you ask them directly about anything negative you notice. I hate it when afterwards something has niggled about a person and I hadn't realised it or asked them
I'm more interested in somebody who's enthusiastic & won't just do the bare minimum & who will actually listen & do what's asked, instead of not listening & doing what they want all the time & not getting the job done which is the point in the road we're at now!
Thanks for the pointers thus far.
One thing I've learned is I wouldn't employ anyone without giving them a written or task-based test of some sort.
I've recruited for IT and Admin roles, and the number of people who sit in front of you and tell you they're great at X, Y and Z, but when given a test which requires them to actually do X, Y and Z either can't do it all, or do it badly, is really surprising.
My Mum works in catering and was sick of hiring chefs who talked a good game at interview but it turned out couldn't actually cook properly, or they were absolutely hopeless as the ordering and costing side. We put a written test together, and she gives them a box of ingredients and gets them cook something. She reckons her staff turnover has dropped by half and she's only had to let one person go during their probation since she started giving a test.
I've recruited for IT and Admin roles, and the number of people who sit in front of you and tell you they're great at X, Y and Z, but when given a test which requires them to actually do X, Y and Z either can't do it all, or do it badly, is really surprising.
My Mum works in catering and was sick of hiring chefs who talked a good game at interview but it turned out couldn't actually cook properly, or they were absolutely hopeless as the ordering and costing side. We put a written test together, and she gives them a box of ingredients and gets them cook something. She reckons her staff turnover has dropped by half and she's only had to let one person go during their probation since she started giving a test.
In reality, job interviews are a cr*pshoot.
For all the questions and tests, you might as well just throw the CVs in a hat and pick one at random.
No matter how many questions / tests / tasks / filters you use, you will nearly always find ~20% of hires are bad, ~60% are average, and ~20% are good. A classic bell-curve.
Indeed, some research even indicates most interviewers will hire most interviewees based on name, voice / accent, height and looks -- and will (within reason) often completely disregard the CV.
For all the questions and tests, you might as well just throw the CVs in a hat and pick one at random.
No matter how many questions / tests / tasks / filters you use, you will nearly always find ~20% of hires are bad, ~60% are average, and ~20% are good. A classic bell-curve.
Indeed, some research even indicates most interviewers will hire most interviewees based on name, voice / accent, height and looks -- and will (within reason) often completely disregard the CV.
I see the interviewer as having a duty of care, not to employ someone they might have to sack later, as it might screw up their life.
Assuming someone is giving up a decent job, to come and work for you, if it all goes tits up after 3 months, he might end up loosing his house when he can't pay the mortgage.
No Pressure..........
I think a test is the right way to go. I find I do better at interview if I get a factory tour as I can quickly see the assembly and test issues that they might have. Can't see whilst sitting in a windowless office.
I used to get candidates for an assembly and test area to assemble 4 little sub assemblies. I'd give them the Standard Op, and a set of parts, for 4 different variants, and watch how they put them together. They could ask me any question about it, and then I'd get them to assemble 10 of one of them, which would take me about 6 mins, and if they did it in 8 mins or less, I'd take them.
Assuming someone is giving up a decent job, to come and work for you, if it all goes tits up after 3 months, he might end up loosing his house when he can't pay the mortgage.
No Pressure..........
I think a test is the right way to go. I find I do better at interview if I get a factory tour as I can quickly see the assembly and test issues that they might have. Can't see whilst sitting in a windowless office.
I used to get candidates for an assembly and test area to assemble 4 little sub assemblies. I'd give them the Standard Op, and a set of parts, for 4 different variants, and watch how they put them together. They could ask me any question about it, and then I'd get them to assemble 10 of one of them, which would take me about 6 mins, and if they did it in 8 mins or less, I'd take them.
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