The Manager's Toolkit

Prepare insightful and probing questions which will give your candidate an opportunity to show their abilities and experiences. Poor interview questions run the risk of reflecting poorly on the company, as well as giving the candidate little to build upon in their answers.

Make the candidate feel comfortable and at ease

Make sure you allow time for the candidate to ask questions at the end of the interview, even if you feel they have not been successful. Every candidate is a potential consumer, future recruit and brand advocate. Clear your calendar before and after the interview to allow yourself plenty of time to be prepared, not distracted and able to finish without rushing. Interviewing is a two-way process: the candidate is forming their impression of you as a manager as well as the company overall.

Don’t be afraid to probe further if you feel a candidate hasn’t answered your question fully – never leave an interview with unanswered questions which are critical your decision- making. Agree with your fellow interviewer(s) in advance what type of questions you will be asking. This avoids potentially confusing the candidate and disrupting the flow of the interview.

but avoid becoming overly friendly and

especially avoid asking about family situations or intentions to start a family

– however well-meaning you may be!

Avoid the temptation to make up your mind within the first few minutes. Keep an open mind, give every opportunity for the candidate to show their strengths – when a person is nervous, it may take some time for them to warm up; likewise, an excellent start can come undone when you get to more technical questions.

Prepare yourself by reading the candidate’s CV but do

not fall into the trap of looking up their social media or other online presence:

this could bias you in an unfair way against the candidate before you have even met them!