Our one-day interviewing skills course is tailored for delegates who would like to gain better interviewing skills and learn how to conduct successful interviews for choosing the right employee(s). Our Interviewing course will show candidates how to; gain winning interview skills; give better interviews; be a better interviewer and learn how to interview effectively. As well as improving interviewing skills, delegates will also learn recruitment and employment law.

THE SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process could be as follows (for junior positions the process will not be as lengthy):

• Vacancy occurs
• Prepare or revise job description/person specification (if appropriate)
• Advertise (internally/externally) and/or use executive search/agencies
• Evaluate applications and choose the best
• Interview best applicants and run tests (if appropriate)
• Draw up shortlist if appropriate
• 2^nd Interview (run assessment centres, if appropriate)
• Evaluate
• Make offer
• Check reference/Medicals
• Ensure induction process commences

Usually job offers are made subject to references being satisfactory. When you make an offer you can check with the applicant that you can take up their references.

Part of the preparation for recruitment is establishing:

• The job specification (even if this is formally written down)
• The person profile (even if this is formally written down)
  • The interviewer must, in both the job specification and person profile list what are ’Essential’ characteristics and ‘Desirable’ characteristics.
  • The definition of ‘Essential’ is: the requirements that the potential candidate MUST have to be able to do the job satisfactorily.
  • The definition of ‘Desirable’ is: skills and knowledge that the candidate has, that are useful but NOT ESSENTIAL to the job requirement.
  • Example: for an administrator in a Law firm, it is essential for them to have a working knowledge of word processing and spread sheet software, and it would be desirable (not essential) for them to be able to use accounting software.

The Job Specification

A job specification expands on the job description and outlines the essential skills and qualities required to do the job. This list should be divided into two categories – essential and desirable. The best place to find the items for a job specification is the Job Description. We also need to think about the context of the job e.g.:

• Location
• Remuneration
• Space requirements
• Career Development
• The other members of the team

This will help when considering the kind of person required, which is the next step, i.e. the person profile.

The Person Profile

As well as a job specification you also need a person profile, which will describe the kind of person that will fit the job. This profile will consist of a list of personal skills, qualifications, and attributes which the successful applicant will need to have. This list should also be divided into two categories – essential and desirable. This means that you know where you have room to be flexible. These could include:

• Team Working – role within existing team: experience of working with others as a team member
• Relevant Experience – business focus, knowledge of client’s business sector
• Organisation Skills – management of time to achieve key priorities and fulfil assignments
• Interpersonal Skills – how they relate to others
• Problem solving and decision making
• Communication Skills – written and verbal
• Influencing skills – how they persuade and influence others

When listing to personal attributes, restrict yourself to those which are necessary for the job, and do not allow your subjective preferences to get in the way. A friendly approach may be necessary for a shop manager who will be dealing with customers face-to-face; however, it may not be so important for a technical engineer who will be working alone all day.

The Application Form

Apart from screening the obviously unsuitable applicant, this saves a whole lot of time at the interview, and also gives you valuable preliminary evidence for your line of questioning.

It has another important function: in order to choose the best applicant, you need to have measured them all against the same criteria. The application form ensures that they all start from the same point.

“Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail”

The CV

Before any interview, you must first study the candidate’s CV, for details of experience and qualifications. Do not leave it until the interview itself.

Remember that most CV’s are tailored to a person’s strengths and omit their faults. In the interview use specific examples from the candidate to assess non-technical factors such as personality, motives, team skills etc.

Look for trends or patterns, which may require reading each CV more than once – consider reading each CV/application twice. Wherever you have questions, jot down remarks, circle dates or write in question marks; some of these areas may have already been answered in an accompanying letter (if you receive one). They are areas to cover in the interview anyway.

You need especially to study the following biographical/factual information from the CV:

Any ‘essentials’ that can be noted

• ‘Star’ the ‘essentials’ on the application
• Not all ‘essentials’ will appear on the application

Legibility, neatness, completeness

• Think of this person working on stock control, daily productivity forms, sales report forms, clientele record-keeping

Interviewing Skills Course

This course will cover the practical skills needed for successful interviewing and our reputation for effective recruitment training has been endorsed by many delegates. Those who have attended the course have described it as being productive, informative and focused. It allows delegates to understand the stages of carrying out interviews and shows them how to conduct an effective interview so that they are able to attract the best candidates and choose the best person for the job. We guarantee to deliver the best employment strategies, tips and techniques for better interviewing and recruiting skills.

Course Dates

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Who will benefit from the course?

Our course will cover the practical skills needed to make recruitment interviews productive and focused. It will allow delegates to understand the stages of the recruitment process and how to conduct an effective interview so that they are able to attract the best candidates and choose the best person for the job.

Our courses allow all staff to benefit from enhanced interviewing skills. The types of delegate we have trained previously are:

• Directors and senior managers
• Sales and fundraising staff
• Local government employees
• Managers, department heads, team leaders and supervisors
• Technical and academic team members

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