: executive career briefcase
Interviewing Job Candidates
The interview is the most important step in the hiring process. With a strategic approach, you can help identify and attract the best accounting and finance talent for your team. Following are tips for conducting a successful job interview.
Prepare in Advance
Develop an approach you'll use with all candidates. Rank job requirements in order of importance, and prepare a list of questions that will enable you to assess applicants' talents and expertise in these areas. Be sure to include questions designed to gauge interpersonal skills and problem-solving abilities.
Make Your Candidate Comfortable
Start by engaging in small talk. You can gain insight into the candidate's personality and also put him or her at ease, increasing the likelihood that you'll receive candid responses.
Ask Diverse Questions
To assess the candidate's work style and compatibility with your firm's culture, vary the style of your questions. Ask close-ended, factual ones ("How many years did you work for Firm A?"); open-ended questions ("Can you describe your major accomplishments?"); and hypothetical, job-related scenarios ("How would you handle constructive criticism …?").
Rephrase Questions When Necessary
If an applicant's response to your question is vague or insufficient, don't be afraid to ask for the information in a different way. For example, rephrase "Why did you leave your previous position?" to "What types of opportunities are you looking for that your last job did not provide?"
Make a Pitch for Your Firm
The interview works both ways, so be sure to emphasize the positive aspects of your company to prospective accounting and finance professionals. Benefits such as employee recognition programs, subsidized training courses and on-site facilities such as a cafeteria or health club can all be strong selling points.
Pay Attention
Fight the urge to formulate your next question while the candidate responds to the last one. You need to listen attentively to pick up on bits of information that might otherwise escape you.
Write it Down
Memory is unreliable, so take notes in an unobtrusive way during the interview. Don't transcribe everything the candidate says - jotting down the highlights should be sufficient. Be sure to record your impressions along with the applicant's responses to questions.
Don't Rush to Judgment
Try to avoid forming an opinion too quickly about a candidate. Wait until after the interview to evaluate responses and make interpretations.
Double-Check Answers
Ask the candidate many of the same questions that you plan to ask his or her references. That way you can compare the answers. If a reference tells you something significantly different than what the applicant tells you, follow up with the candidate for an explanation.
Don't Fall for the "Halo Effect"
Don't let one aspect of a candidate's background - such as the fact that you went to the same school or that he or she worked for the same accounting firm you did - blind you to reasons he or she may not be right for the job. This common phenomenon is called the "halo effect."
Try Not to Overemphasize Interview Performance
Don't attach undue importance to how well the person interviewed. Smooth interviewees may not necessarily be the best people for the job - they may just be well practiced. Sometimes the most talented accounting professional can be the shiest person interviewed.
Streamline the Hiring Decision
Don't get too many people involved in the final decision. If you hire "by committee," you may not find the best person for the position but rather the least offensive candidate.
End on a Positive Note
Once you feel you have enough information, end the interview politely. Thank the applicant for his or her time and interest, and briefly mention subsequent steps.
Conducting an effective job interview isn't always as easy as it may first appear. You can get more out of these meetings by planning ahead, taking good notes and evaluating each candidate objectively.
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