The right approach can get the right employee.

Research suggests that prospective employee interviews are a poor predictor of job performance, but most companies still conduct them.

The interviews often lack consistency and usually produce poor results. Such an approach not only creates a competitive disadvantage for the company, it also diminishes the likelihood of the right candidate getting the job.

Want to hire the right person with less hassle? Consider creating your own interview system. A consistent approach can get the right person in the right position, help predict future job performance and give the new employee the greatest opportunity to flourish.

Build an Interview System

A disciplined interview system removes bias and relies on consistent questions and evaluation.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to work with Michael Gerber, the author of “The E-Myth Revisited.” Michael preached, “’build a franchise prototype’ or ‘the way we do it here.’” The proprietary operating systems that result for such thinking ensures that tasks are always performed consistently.

That is precisely what I recommend you do with your interview system— establish a “way we do it here.” It should be a repeatable process that you can measure and improve.

Remove the Bias from Your Job (and Job Posting)

Job postings often contain bias with phrases like, “company seeking to grow manpower” or “looking for a ninja to take us to the next level.” These terms (i.e., manpower, ninja, rock star) are symptoms of unconscious bias. They may start at the job listing, but they often intrude on the interview. For example, an interview often is over the minute the interviewee steps in the room because the person doesn’t fit the mold of a “bulldog.” Remove the bias from your job, and leave biased words out of your listing.

Stop the Idle Chitchat

Even before the meeting starts, the interviewer sometimes will begin with some simple chitchat (also known as rapport building) in order to “break the ice” and put the candidate at ease. People tend to form impressions quickly, however, subconsciously making judgments within a few minutes of the conversation. This can lead to the interviewer predicting the outcome of an interview and deciding to cut it short, anticipating the result as a waste of time.

Instead of idle chitchat, the rapport building process should consist of the interviewer providing information to the candidate. This can be by sharing the agenda of the interview outline and informing the candidate that the Q & A will take place toward the end of the interview. This minimizes the opportunity for the candidate to receive leading information.

Create an Outline

Put together an outline of your interview questions, and keep them consistent. Creating a consistent list of interview questions is
crucial. Here are some examples:

» Design a uniform set of behavioral or situational questions for each job position.

» Ask the same questions of all candidates.

» Interview by committee or have at least two people interview each candidate.
This helps ensure a match with your company’s culture.

» Limit probing questions. Don’t ask such questions or decide on certain times when you will always ask them. This ensures one interviewee doesn’t get an unfair advantage over another.

Make Your Evaluations Consistent

You will need an evaluation system that allows you to measure accurately and fairly all discussion and to compare and to contrast different candidates. Google, for example, uses a custom evaluation rubric with clear standards for determining the quality of a candidate’s answers. The interviewer scores the answers against the rubric for general cognitive ability.

Everybody wins when you create and implement an interview system. You are more likely to identify the right talent and your new hire is set up for success from the beginning