Contributed Article

By Virginia Brookes – Resolver Recruitment

Traditionally, job interviews have been all about you assessing the candidates’ suitability for the role. As an interviewer and employer, it is easy to forget that you are also being assessed in the interview process.

However, in this ever-changing and candidate tight market place, you can be assured that each candidate you interview will also be interviewing with several other employers. Therefore, they will be analysing and comparing what they think of you, your overall business and the opportunity. 

With such a shortage of quality talent, it’s imperative you get the interview right. To help you with this, I have put together our top interview tips to use in your next interview:

• Don’t be late – you expect your candidate to be on time, and so should you. You have known about the interview in advance, so there is no excuse. It is disrespectful and can create an impression that punctuality isn’t highly regarded or valued in your office
• Don’t leave your phone on – using your phone during an interview can be very disruptive; even if you’re just answering a call or a text to say you’re in a meeting. To allow the conversation to flow better, turn it off or leave it outside of the interview room
• Don’t come unprepared – it’s expected that candidates conduct their research prior to an interview, but so should you. Read their CV fully before meeting them and use the interview as an opportunity to build on this
• Don’t talk only about yourself and the company – throughout an interview the dialogue should flow back and forth. Ensure you talk about the about the opportunity, the candidate and what they are looking for, as well as the company and your story
• Don’t talk negatively about previous people in the role – resist the urge to talk badly about the previous or current person in the role. This will only cause the new candidate to worry about their future prospects in the role and leave a bad impression
• Don’t sugar coat the role – of course you want to up sell your company and the role, however be careful not to over promise. This will only lead to higher staff turnover, as you’ve sold a dream that doesn't exist. Remember to give all the facts about the role, both the good, and the realities
• Don’t discriminate – this covers a multitude of things, from asking about age, religious preference or marital status and family plans. These are unrelated to their ability to do the job and can leave a bad impression and will only land you in hot water.

As Resolver is a specialist real estate recruitment agency, my team can guide you through the interviewing and recruitment process to ensure success. To get in touch go to www.resolverrecruitment.com.au or call on (02) 9966 4011.