Interviewing job candidates, made easier

Finding great employees for your business can be challenging in today’s tight labor market. That’s why interviewing job applicants is such a critical step in the hiring process. Talking to an applicant in person and observing how they answer your questions can help you determine whether they have the right skills and knowledge for the position and if they’ll fit well into your workforce.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind while conducting an interview:

Prepare your questions: Come up with a thorough list of questions before the interview. Which questions are the most important in order to assess this person and evaluate them as a potential future part of your team? Which questions will give you the best sense of someone’s accomplishments, skills and personality? Spend some time thinking about the questions that you know you want answers to and how they’ll help you understand your candidate. You can also brainstorm questions with other members of your team.

Allow for a conversation: You’ll want to be prepared for the interview, but you don’t necessarily need to stick to a script. Allowing a real conversation to develop often can give you a better overall sense of the candidate. Understanding who they are and what’s important to them can help you assess the way their personality might fit with your team. You want to not only find the best talent for the position but to do it in a way that allows you to preserve the team dynamic that’s already working for your group. A conversation also means that you’ll be listening better and learning more than a simple list of questions could tell you.

Be ready to answer: A candidate will likely be asking questions during the course of the conversation. They’re interviewing you and your organization for a good match as much as you are interviewing them. Be prepared to answer their questions or find out the answers and get back to them.

Better interviews often lead you to connect with better candidates and form better relationships with potential new hires. Treating the interview less like an interrogation and more as a learning opportunity for both parties can help ensure that you are able to bring the best talent on board for your insurance business. No job applicant will be perfect, but a great interview can help you determine if they’ll make a great addition to your team.