How to determine the best candidates before the interview

Hiring managers learn from experience that the interview is not always the best indicator of future job performance. Some applicants may seem very confident and vibrant during the interview process, but flounder when their skills are put to the test.

A major aspect of determining a potential employee’s fit comes before a face-to-face meeting, when you determine exactly what you are hoping to achieve with the new hire. Industry news site Business 2 Community offers some tips to help hiring managers and human resource professionals avoid hiring mistakes.

By analyzing the job and its requirements, you have a much better concept of what skills and personality traits are needed for the position. Some placements require superior customer service skills, while others may need technical or analytical capabilities. When you identify the core competencies of the position, you can focus on finding applicants who best meet your needs.

Another important pre-interview strategy involves developing interview questions that will determine if your applicant meets the core competencies you outlined for the position. Craft questions that relate to past performance, such as how they responded to certain situations in their previous experiences. Answers to these questions will give insight into their skills and how well their abilities will suit your company.

Creating a comfortable interview environment can also help those who may hold the core competencies your looking for, but do not interview well. You want to make the interview process as pleasant and painless as possible for both parties, by turning off your cell phone and choosing a quiet space to meet.

Perhaps the most important step in the hiring process is pre-employment testing. By having applicants complete a brief skills assessment before inviting them in for an interview, you can save valuable time by focusing on only the most qualified applicants. EmployTest offers over 800 pre-employment tests to help you determine the skills, aptitudes and knowledge of job applicants before you hire them.