How to be a good interviewer

To be a good interviewer you need to take the proper time to prepare, select your questions wisely, and review your candidate's resume and information prior to the interview. Here are some details on these steps and others you can take to be a good interviewer:

• Take the proper time to prepare

The preparation for an interview is almost as important as the actual interview. This is because you need to know as the interviewer exactly what ground you are going to cover with your candidate. The more you prepare, the more confident you can be that the interview will go according to plan.

• Select your questions wisely

Asking the right questions is a critical component of being a good interviewer. This means you need to ask questions that are going to help you understand and learn about your candidate in terms of their professional qualities, skills, and experience, but also their personality. Consider using both situational and behavioral questions to get the best results.

• Review your candidate's resume and information prior to the interview

This is very important as it gives you, or should give you, a good indication of the qualifications of the person you are going to be interviewing. It is also professional to know all of this information and seem prepared. Review your candidate's resume, qualifications, and any other helpful documentation beforehand.

You can also choose to do some research on them in these ways:

• Calling references

• Checking their profile on professional social media sites, like LinkedIn

• Viewing their professional website, if they have one

• Going through their work portfolio, if submitted

Taking this step helps you to be prepared for the interview and the person you are going to be communicating with.

• Determine a structure for each one of your interviews

You should delineate a structure that you want to follow for each interview you have. This is helpful because it keeps you organized and you can also reference during an interview to help things stay structured properly and on track.

• Develop a rating system

You should have a standard rating system that you use when you interview all candidates. This helps to keep the interview process objective and also helps you select the proper candidate that fits the needs of your organization. Doing this makes comparing and contrasting different candidates a lot easier.

• Be an active listener

• Encourage your candidates to ask questions of their own

Allowing the interviewees to ask questions at the end or during the interview is another way to show professionalism and respect. In addition, you can also gauge the questions they ask you to determine if they are qualified for the role they are seeking with your organization.