Do You Trust Your Interviewer?

Executive Recruiter Listening imageExecutive recruiting is like many other specialties. The inexperienced think it is mostly a trade-off of time vs. money. The experienced have spent many years understanding the nuances.  While we at MJA fall into the latter category, we understand that many organizations like to start the process on their own.  And, as our jobs are to help past, current and future clients in all endeavors, we want to offer guidelines for choosing an interviewer.

Today’s topic is, as the title says – do you trust your interviewer to:

  • ask the right questions?
    • Does the interviewer understand how to frame questions in a way that will not taint the responses?  Is there an understanding of which questions are and are not legal to ask?  Does he/she know how to get the candidate to say what you want to know vs. what they want to tell you?
  • hear the answers?
    • Can the interviewer truly listen?  And, differentiate between what the person said and what the person meant?  Take the necessary notes while retaining focus?  And understanding the importance of asking the question and then keeping quiet? While keeping a conversation flowing at the same time being the less dominant speaker?
  • know how to ensure that the candidate has not screened you out yet?
    • How to ask if you are not offering enough money, the location is undesirable, the facility is not what they are used to, etc?
  • look at the candidate and determine whether it should be a 1 on 1, 2 on 1 or 5 on 1 interview?
  • manage the pace of the interviews so that everything can be achieved in the allotted time?
  • sell the candidate on the organization?
    • Interviewing is a two-way conversation in which you are selling and buying at the same time.  Can the interviewer quickly read the candidate and determine what would cause the candidate to truly want the job?

Yes, it is a lot to ask of one inexperienced person.   But if you are set on going through the interview process without us, this will help you consider who the best person for the interviewer position is.  And if, at any point, you are looking for advice, please feel free to contact us by clicking here.