Helping you hire the right people – Fraser Coast Chronicle

 

Local employers can cost themselves time, energy and money if they don’t employ the right interview techniques during the recruitment process, says the manager of Sarina Russo Job Access Hervey Bay and Maryborough, Leah Dixon.

 

She said as part of its $1 million worth of local jobs campaign, Sarina Russo Job Access had developed a 10-point recruitment plan so employers could select the right person for the job.

 

“Compared to the amount of job seeker interview tips and information available, employers are constantly overlooked when it comes to recruitment advice,” Ms Dixon said.

 

“Employers must remember three basic rules of recruitment – can-do skills and experience, will do attitude and personality and will fit company culture.”

 

1. Follow the 80/20 rule. Get the job seeker to do 80 per cent of the talking. The person asking questions and listening is the person in control of the interview.

 

2. Ask open ended questions beginning with what, how, why, when or where. They encourage job seekers to do most of the talking. For example, when were you a member of a team, can you describe what it was like, what would you do if ... and how did you handle a situation when ...?

 

3. Avoid closed questions beginning with did, would, do, and are.  These questions can be answered yes or no. They do not encourage job seekers to talk. For example, do you have any experience working on a team?

 

4. Ask probing questions beginning with tell me more, describe to me and explain to me.

 

5. Use the power of silence. Pause while waiting for an answer. Don’t ever underestimate the value of silence in an interview.

 

6. A job seeker’s past job performance is the surest guide to his or her future performance.

 

7. A good job fit equals the right education plus the right experience plus a compatible personality.

 

8. Beware of the just-like-me trap. Focus on the job requirements and the candidate’s qualifications.

 

9. Help the job seeker feel at ease at the start of the interview.  They’ll open up and talk more freely.

 

10. Don’t make assumptions. Look for repeat patterns of behaviour to draw conclusions about the job seeker.

 

Ms Dixon said a well-conducted and well-constructed interview benefited both parties because that meant that an informed recruitment decision could be made.