3 Signs You’re Interviewing the Right Candidate

Job interviews are not easy for both the candidate and the interviewer. A job seeker experiences the anxiety of trying to read people's body language and finding out if the interview is on the right track.

The interviewer has to be conscious about making the candidate comfortable and asking the right questions to help identify if the candidate they're talking to is the right one for the job. 

Luckily, there are some green flags to look out for to know if the job interview is going well:

 

1. The job interview feels more like a conversation instead of a Q&A session.

The best interview an applicant or an interviewer could experience is when it feels like the type of conversation they would have with someone over lunch or at a networking event. 

There is a natural flow to the conversation in the best job interviews. The candidate and the interviewer seem to understand each other well, and the dialogue easily flows from topic to topic until the time is up or everyone's questions are answered. 

If you fall into a natural rhythm of both asking and answering questions, and if you walk out of the interview feeling like you just had lunch with a buddy, that's a green flag!

Even better when the job interview exceeds the time allotted, or you feel reluctant to stop the interview just because time's up. 

 

2. You want to show the candidate their potential future workspace or introduce them to potential coworkers/higher-ups in the organisation.

It happens more often on a second interview, but if you do this - either as a planned part of the job interview or spontaneously - it's a promising sign that you think the job candidate may be right for the job. 

You also want the candidate to see more of the company so that everyone can ensure goals, personalities, and expectations are in alignment.

It's a good approach in job interviews to bring multiple people into the process to give input about the candidate being interviewed. The candidate must remember that everyone who's a part of the interviewing process is important and must act accordingly. 

Interviewers can get great feedback from assistants and receptionists on how candidates acted while waiting to enter the interview room. Those who were rude or dismissive to the support staff should not be invited back for further rounds, even if their credentials were impressive. 

Whether the interview is in-person or virtually, the candidate should be kind to everyone they meet at the company and take their participation in the interview seriously. 

The best job interviews always feel more like a conversation.

3. You want to ask the candidate "buying questions" at the end of the interview.

What are "buying questions"? They are questions about things you should know before closing a deal and making an offer to the candidate. It is rare to ask these questions in a first interview, but it is not impossible. 

When you ask candidates these questions, it means that you are interested in the candidate, and you are likely going to continue to conversation.

These are examples of "buying questions":

• What are your salary expectations? (If you haven't already discussed this) 

• Are you interested to read through our benefits information? Is there other information you need from us to help you know us better? 

• We need to bring you back for another discussion. Does early next week work for you?

• How much notice would you require to give your current employer?

• Do we have your reference list? Is it alright if we reach out to them?

• Would that be an issue if we needed you to start on (x) date?

The candidate should be honest when answering these questions. It's easy for them to get excited and concentrate more on keeping the talk going or getting an offer. 

However, now is the time to identify potential deal-breakers. If the company and the candidate are far apart on wage expectations, if you need them to start in two weeks and they need to give their current employer four weeks to finish a project, it is better for the issue to emerge now than later.

 

One of the hardest situations an HR professional or a hiring manager could be in is when they have great interviews with an outstanding candidate. But, for whatever reason, they cannot offer the candidate the job. 

However, there are also situations when a hiring manager finds another position open that the candidate may be interested in. Even if they don't get the role they're looking for, know that the candidate has another great opportunity coming their way.

 

Source: FairyGodBoss