Record and acknowledge returned applications

Agree time and date for interviews

Send a courteous letter to unsuccessful candidates

Take up references

Drawing up the shortlist for interview

Eliminate candidates who do not match essential criteria

If you have far too many applications, eliminate those who do not meet the criteria you would like to see.

Read through the remaining applications several times

Bear in mind it is better to return to the stage of searching for a candidate, rather than to go forward with a group of candidates who do not meet the criteria for the job.

The interview process

An interview is a conversation with a purpose

You are looking for information about the applicant.

The applicant is looking for information about the job and your organisation.

You should be seeking to create a favourable impression of your organisation with all applicants.

Questions to ask your self in preparation

How many candidates are you going to see?

How long are you going to spend with each applicant?

Is anyone else besides you, going to meet/interview the applicants?

Will such meetings take place on the same day?

Is there a suitable room available?

Is there someone who can greet applicants and look after them on the day?

Are you going to ask applicants to bring evidence of qualifications?

Are you going to ask applicants to bring samples of work?

Are you going to give the applicants any kind of test on the day?

What papers are you going to need? Job description, applications, references?

The interview

Attempt to put the candidate at ease with polite conversation.

Explain briefly the main tasks and responsibilities of the job, which may repeat the information they have already received.

Ask open questions and allow the applicant plenty of opportunity to fully respond. The applicant should do roughly two thirds of the talking overall.

Ask the candidate to tell you about their career so far:

Emphasis should be on more recent roles.

Ask the applicant to tell you about their successes and also things they would have done differently given a second chance.

Find out what has motivated the applicant to change jobs in the past.

Ask how the applicant sees their career progression so far.

Ask about the applicants relationships with colleagues and managers in previous roles.

Ask what the applicant expects from this job, and how they hope their career will progress.

Examine certificates/samples of work as appropriate. Ask the applicant to demonstrate their work/perform a test as appropriate.

Once you have finished, ask if the applicant has further experience or skills which they feel might be worth mentioning.

Does the applicant have any other questions about the job or your organisation?

Tell the applicant how you will advise them if you intend to make an offer, and by what date.

Avoid any questions which might be interpreted as an offence against equal opportunities legislation e.g.:

What arrangements do you have for childcare?

What plans do you have for starting a family?

Evaluation

Try not to make a snap decision about a candidate very early in the interview, allow your self to consider all the information.

Consider the candidates body language and silences, as well as what they actually say.

Evaluate each candidate after the interview.

Evaluate them all again, after all the interviews have been completed.

In your evaluation, give each candidate marks out of ten for:

Ability to do the job

Motivation

How well you think they will fit in with other team members

Which applicant do you most prefer? Are they the highest scoring? If not, think carefully why you prefer that candidate.