A hiring managers guide to interview prep

The interview process is not just about the candidate; it's also important for the interviewer to prepare properly. If a talented applicant has taken the time to come to your premises in person - or even to attend an online interview via webcam - you owe it to them to make it worth their while.

At Michael Page, we believe in fair treatment on both sides. As a hiring manager, it's likely that you interview candidates on a fairly frequent basis, so a lot of the prep work can be perennial, with just a refresher for specific roles to keep everything up to date.

If you find yourself blindsided by candidates asking quite reasonable questions about your organisation, it's time to do your own interview prep - and try to anticipate the common interview questions you might receive, even when you are the interviewer!

Post-interview: Three key steps 

Recognise that taking some time to prepare for your meeting with a candidate will allow the process to run smoothly and, ultimately, will get the best results. Here are some of the first steps towards achieving this:

Relax

It's not only candidates who get nervous before an important job interview, but as the interviewer you have the position of authority, and your mood will set the tone for the conversation. Try to set the applicant at ease: offer them a drink and a little time to settle in before you start on the probing questions. A good hierarchy of communication progresses from saying hello, to small talk about the traffic or weather, to questions about the vacancy and the candidate's past experiences.

Understand the applicant

Try to appreciate why the applicant is looking for a job, and how your organisation can cater for what they are seeking. You can usually learn this from the cover letter, and it allows you to prepare some useful information to personalise the opening portion of the interview.

Read their application

Make sure you read the candidate's CV and cover letter in full. Even if a quick glance is enough to confirm they have the right qualifications, you never know what else you might learn from their cover email, mission statement or BHAG. These more personal elements can be excellent bases for more open-ended questions towards the end of the interview.

Interview time: Important things to consider

During the interview, keep your mind on a few simple rules for interviewer best practice. You don't need to worry too much about it - just have a few tools you can fall back on if the interview is getting off-course.

Know your competition

Good candidates may have active applications with several companies at the same time. If you're looking for top talent, you need your role to differentiate from those of your rivals. Don't assume you have all the bargaining power - be ready to convince the candidate of why they should want to work for you.

Discuss your brand

An interview is an opportunity for applicants to learn about your brand in a depth that goes beyond your 'About us' page on your company website. There may be trade secrets you can't go into until an individual signs a contract, but be ready and confident to discuss the parts of your company culture that aren't subject to a confidentiality agreement.

Express your values

It's not all about brand identity. Especially in second-round interviews, candidates may be keen to hear more about your company's values and responsibility commitments. That could be social, environmental, or your stance on issues like modern slavery and fair trade. Don't panic - these are big questions, but you're not in court. Just express the company's position and acknowledge the interviewee's interest in that area.

Post-interview: Best practice

After the interview, try to contact every candidate to let them know if they were successful or not. Again, if they found time to attend an interview, they went beyond simply submitting a CV and you should show some appreciation for their effort.

Consider your second, third and fourth choices. Your first choice might withdraw their application. Let people know if they were only narrowly unsuccessful - and ask them if they would like to be held in reserve, but don't string them along forever.

Applicants may ask for feedback about why they were not successful, and it's courteous to offer some notes on this. Try to write down a few thoughts during the interview itself so you can provide good-value feedback based on what actually happened.

Good candidates know their worth and are in high demand across all industries - treat them fairly and you'll build your own reputation as an employer of preference. 

For more help attracting the best candidates to your organisation, contact your local Michael Page office.

Alternatively, discover more helpful management advice head over to our content hub to learn more. 

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