Believe it or not, our candidates often complain that many employers do a miserable job when interviewing.
Typically, this is what happens: the interviewer picks up the resume from a secretary or the human-resources department on the way to the interview and preparation occupies the time it takes to walk to the meeting room. Without having given any real thought to the task, the interviewer quickly runs out of questions and the "interview" becomes a long-winded presentation about the company and its products. Very few Thai candidates - if any - have the courage to stop an interviewer rambling on about this and that. This is not only because interviews can be somewhat intimidating, but also because krengjai and hai kiat will restrain most Thai candidates from interrupting the authority on the other side of the table. Companies and managers also do other stupid things before and during interviews. Probably the worst is asking a candidate to fill in an application form prior to the interview. It is one of those habits regularly explained away by saying "we have always done that", or "all companies do this". Where is the logic in asking a person to spend 15 or 20 minutes filling in personal details and career background when it is not even known if the candidate is qualified and will pass the interview? The person's resume probably has all those details anyway. Many application forms look like the forms new employees are asked to fill in on their first day of employment. That is the only occasion on which these forms should be used. Taking phone calls during interviews, cancelling or rescheduling interviews on the day of the interview, appearing disorganised, or even asking silly questions like how many elephants can be fitted into a blue refrigerator can easily scare candidates away. Top candidates, when disillusioned or discouraged, will simply make up an excuse to drop out of the running, or reject your offer. An effective interviewing process follows these four steps: Prior to the interview, make sure you understand the key elements of the job.Identify the knowledge, attributes and skills a candidate needs for success. It is hardest of all to identify the people skills a person brings to a job. By understanding the applicant's personality and motivation, you are guaranteed to improve your hiring process.l The best interview follows a structured process. This does not mean the entire process is inflexible and without spontaneity, but each candidate should be asked to address the same issues by adapting questions to suit situations and behaviour.If you are meeting so-called passive candidates, they may have been provided by headhunters. These people have good jobs and are not yet necessarily convinced that they should make a move. If you feel you have a strong candidate, you need to switch into sales mode. That means you must tell them why the grass is greener on your side of the fence, compared to their present job. If you manage this, the candidate will leave convinced that your company is offering a great opportunity. Always remember that hiring is also a selling activity.