It is no secret that your staff are your greatest asset and recruiting the wrong person can be disastrous for your business. The wrong appointment can not only be stressful, it can impact on your office environment, your culture and have a detrimental effect on your clients or other employees – costing you in the long run. It is therefore imperative that you recruit quality employees that are going to have a positive impact and add value to your business.

So where do you start?

Let’s begin with the interview process.

Everyone thinks they can interview. However, it is a skill that requires experience and training to make sure that it is a professional experience and that you are following the correct legal process. Planning and preparation is key, and questions you should be asking from the outset include:

• Have you got an up to date job description and person specification? These documents are essential in getting your advert right and provide useful information for the applicant
• What key selling points does your Company have that will give your advert that competitive edge?
• Think about where and when you are going to advertise
• Remember to book first and second interview dates into your diaries to ensure that this time is kept clear. You could also include these dates in your advert, so the candidates know in advance too
• Be creative with your interview format. Perhaps you could ask your candidate to take part in a group exercise, present or carry out a task. These different formats will allow you to observe other key attributes required for the job and increase the potential to make the right decision

When it comes to the interview, the following tips will help ensure that the experience is smooth and professional for all parties:

1. Be presentable, professional and on time
2. Always read the CV/application form before the interview and make notes on any areas you want to question the candidate on further (e.g. gaps in the CV, reasons for leaving)
3. Leave enough time in between interviews to ensure you stick to your schedule and don’t hold more than 6 – 8 interviews a day - you will be exhausted!
4. Hold your interviews in an area free of interruptions and don’t forget to turn off your mobile phone
5. Ensure your interview questions cover both the technical and personal competency areas you are looking for. The questions should be in the order in which you will ask them and should progress naturally and logically. You should ask the same questions, in the same order to each candidate so you can draw objective comparisons
6. Ask what the candidate knows about your company first, this way you can test they have done their homework and tells you a lot about their attitude
7. Avoid any leading questions, (a good candidate will just tell you what they think you want to hear) and multiple questions (this will cause confusion and the candidate will just answer the question they choose!)
8. Don’t be afraid of silence. Candidates will often be nervous and will need time to think about an answer to a question. Give them time and try not to help them answer the question
9. Ensure you watch out for body language and see if they support and compliment the verbal answers given
10. Be mindful of employment law protective characteristics, found within the Equality Act, to avoid potential discrimination claims
11. Don’t promise a candidate anything you are not able to keep
12. Remember an interview is a 2 way process. While you are interviewing, a candidate is also deciding if they want to work for you, so make sure you have prepared information that gives your company that competitive edge
13. Make notes, you will need these should a candidate ask for feedback. It is recommended that you keep interview notes on file for up to 6 months after an interview
14. Always treat candidates with respect and ensure you remain professional at the end of your interview, explaining what the next steps will be
15. Once you have decided on your chosen candidate, always offer the job to them first before notifying the unsuccessful candidates. There may be a good 2nd choice candidate that you would happily offer the job to if your 1st choice turns you down and you don’t want them to know they were 2nd choice!