Hiring -- Next Steps

If you find yourself faced with too many applicants to interview in person, you may want to consider using a telephone interview as another step in your process.

A telephone interview should be shorter than a face-to-face interview. Use this time to ask your applicant any questions you may have regarding his or her resume concerning items such as vague phrases or unclear information. If at the end of the interview you would like the applicant to come in for a face-to-face interview, simply set up a time and place.  

If at the end of the call you no longer feel that the applicant meets the job requirements, simply thank the candidate for the time and state that while you do not feel that he/she is a good fit for this position, you will keep the resume on file for possible future opportunities.

Next, you'll be scheduling face-to-face interviews.  Let the applicant know what to bring, such as a clean copy of the resume, a list of references, contact information for former positions, or anything else you require for the application and interview. Be sure the applicant knows how to get to your location.  Allow enough time when scheduling interviews that neither you nor the applicant will feel hurried or pressured.  Be sure that you will not be interrupted.
 
Four Parts To The Interview  

• Building Rapport - introductions, small talk, agenda, objectives  
• Information Gathering - take notes, questions including behavioral
• Information Giving - company and position background, duties
• Closing - applicant questions, thank you, next steps, check notes

Until next time...

Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/