As you can see on this website we love to share a great deal of help and support for recruiters, and today we are going to discuss a little about why the interview is not a perfect way of getting the best person for the job. Now let’s be clear, the interview is certainly important, be it is often given more weight by companies that it should be. The interview is really a smaller part of the larger process, and here is why you shouldn’t hire based solely off the interview.
Doesn’t Reflect Performance
The interview is a good way to get to know someone and understand what they are like as a character, but it won’t tell you much about how they will perform. Some suggest that it will give you an insight into how they manage pressure, which is true in a sense, but there is a difference in being under work pressure and being under social pressure. The very best workers around the world could get nervous, and they may struggle in an interview. If you only focus on this you could certainly be losing out on some great talent.
Bad Day
Everyone has bad days and if you catch a candidate on theirs, you are not going to be able to see their best side. They may have received some bad news, and problems with children or just had one of those days where everything has gone wrong. If this is the case, they are of course not going to be at their best for the interview. Once again you could lose out on a truly talented candidate because of this.
Additionally, it could be that you are the one having a bad day and end taking some of the interviewee’s answers the wrong way, or in a different way than you would take them if you were having a good day.
Asking The Right Questions
We all operate in different ways from learning to how we apply that knowledge. It may be that you don’t have great interviewing skills, which means that you won’t be able to get the most out of the candidate. Having a chat is one thing, so that you can get to know the applicant, but drilling them with questions that are perhaps not formed perfectly, could see you risk losing a potential winner.
Important Aspect
An interview is most certainly necessary, but it should form a smaller part of a larger process when dealing with potential job candidates. There are better ways in which you can find out the skills and abilities of the applicants, such as having them fill out tests which are applicable to the job role. This is a much better way to discover their talent than having a chat.
This is exactly why you should look to avoid putting too much importance on the interview.