Interviewing a Candidate? Avoid These Common Mistakes!

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Choosing a job candidate through a round of interviews is a difficult task. Interviewing is a skill, and a difficult one at that. So how do you make sure that you do your best so you can wind up with a great new employee? Start by avoiding these mistakes:

Don’t make a bad first impression.

While the candidate is the one being evaluated at an interview, you and your company are also on display. Make sure that you begin the interview on time, and make sure you give the candidate your full and undivided attention.

Don’t talk more than you listen.

Although you’re the one guiding the conversation, your role in an interview is to listen. You may feel there’s a lot to say about the job or the company, but hold off on that until later. First, make sure that you have a good candidate in front of you.

Don’t bring up money too quickly.

The question of salary, whether it’s what they’ve made in the past or what you plan to pay them in the future, may seem important, but it shouldn’t even enter the conversation until you have a good sense of if the interviewee is a good fit for the job. Make sure you address other important topics first before you steer the conversation to numbers.

Don’t schedule more than one interview.

When hiring a new candidate, it’s best to have them talk with several different people in the office. However, make sure that you can coordinate everyone’s schedule so that the person you’re thinking about hiring can get it over with in one afternoon instead of making repeated visits.

Don’t lie about your interest.

If after an interview it’s clear that the candidate lacks certain crucial skills or won’t be a good fit for your company, make that clear. Have the respect to let them know they’re not quite right—tactfully, of course—so that they don’t go home thinking they may be hired.

Need more help with interviewing? Contact a staffing specialist at Burnett’s Staffing today. We can take the pain out of the hiring process for you and find you a great new employee.

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