8 Steps for a Winning Interview in 2022

8 Steps to Conducting Winning Interviews

1. Select and Utilize Great Interview Questions-   The best interview questions are questions that allow job candidates to comfortably discuss their knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences.  The goal of every question is to get job candidates to talk and expand on their experiences.   Utilize performance based/situational questions when possible.  Be sure all job questions are work-related.   
2. Go Virtual- Utilize Virtual Interviews-1^st Round– Virtual Interviewing is a blessing and a massive time saver for both the employer and the interviewers.   There are many benefits to interviewing virtually.   Virtual interviewing eliminates the logistics of in-person interviews.  Virtual interviews save time, allowing employers the ability to interview more candidates.   In addition, virtual interviews tend to make interviewers more comfortable.  When interviewers are more comfortable (less nervous), the better interview they give allowing you to see the true candidate.  If you have yet to interview virtually, give it a try.  Virtual interviews have many benefits and are here to stay!     
3. Speak Little and Listen Big-   The interview is the candidate’s time to talk and the employers time to listen and observe.  If you are talking more than the applicant, something is wrong.  Be sure to listen big and talk less.  Observe and learn as much as you can about the candidate.  Listen for knowledge, skill, and abilities.  Let the candidate do the talking
4. Mini-Interviews- Setup 1^st Interviews as Brief Mini Interviews- To avoid spending too much time with the wrong and/or unfit candidates, conduct brief mini-interviews during the 1^st round.  Treat the first round as an initial screen.  After the initial screen, invite the candidates for a 2^nd interview where you will have more time to spend with preferred and better suited candidates.
5. Test & Verify- Between 1^st & 2^nd Interviews- Utilize Online Skills Assessments or Review Applicant’s Portfolios– Always check and verify the skills and abilities being presented.  There are many online tools for skills assessment to utilize. Because online assessment cost money, we recommend assessing candidates after the initial interviews.
6. Conduct 2^nd Interviews In-Person w/Tour – For second interviews, set-up in-person interviews with tour of the job site, operations, and etc.  The second interview is your time to learn as much about the job candidate.   Second interviews can be structured, conversational, or a mix of both. 
7. The Importance of the Hiring Manager and Candidate Selection- The hiring manager matters on whether or not the job candidate will be successful at your organization. Many organizations make the mistake of group interviews without giving weight and deference to the hiring manager.    The new employee and hiring manager need to be able to work together and the fit between the two is very important.  To minimize turnover and selecting the wrong candidate, be sure to give the hiring manager all or a good amount of weight in deciding who to hire. .     
8. Hire the best person for the job!- The goal of every hiring campaign is to find the best person for the job.  Look for the individual who brings the most skills, knowledge, experience, and potential to the job.  Avoid bias, quotas, and be sure to treat everyone equally.   When you hire the best person for the job, you help your organization grow and succeed by leaps and bounds!   

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