How to Effectively Assess a Candidate in an Interview_ Techniques and Approaches

Intro

In an interview, every question matters, and each answer provides a window into the past and future of a potential employee. It is not just a dialogue, but a mechanism for a thorough assessment of the applicant, helping to determine how well they will cope with tasks in a new position, whether they can integrate into the team, and whether they share corporate values. However, despite its apparent simplicity, the candidate evaluation process requires deep understanding and the correct application of certain techniques and approaches. To achieve this, involving experienced IT staff in the interview process can be invaluable. This article will explore the most effective among them.

Competency-Based Approach

The key to successful recruitment lies through understanding competencies—a set of knowledge, skills, and personal qualities necessary for effective performance in a specific position. The competency-based approach is important not only to ask the right questions aimed at identifying these competencies but also to be able to interpret the candidate’s responses. Examples of questions include inquiries about specific situations from the applicant’s professional life where they demonstrated leadership qualities, decisiveness, or analytical thinking.

Behavioral Questions

“Tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure” is a classic example of a behavioral question that helps assess how a candidate acted in the past. This assumes that past actions are the best predictor of future behavior at work. Behavioral questions help evaluate specific examples of the candidate’s work, their ability to solve problems, and adapt to new conditions.

Case Method

Using cases in interviews is a proven way to assess analytical abilities and problem-solving approaches. A case may be related to a real business situation that the company faced in the past or a hypothetical task requiring the development of a strategy or action plan. This method allows not only assessing the intellectual capabilities of the candidate but also their creative approach to non-standard situations.

Stress Questions

Stress questions are designed to assess the candidate’s ability to maintain composure in tense situations. However, it is important to use them appropriately and not to cross boundaries, so as not to cause rejection by the applicant. Questions may concern situations where the candidate had to cope with difficulties or conflicts at work, and how they found a way out of them.

Test Assignments and Practical Tests

Conducting test assignments or practical tests allows directly assessing the professional skills and competencies of the candidate. It is important that the tasks are as close as possible to the real tasks that the employee will face in their work. This could be a project assignment for a marketer, programming for a developer, or preparing a commercial proposal for a sales manager.

Conclusion

Effectively assessing a candidate in an interview requires not only knowledge of various techniques and approaches but also the ability to apply them depending on the specific situation and hiring goals. Combining different techniques will provide a complete picture of the applicant’s potential, skills, and personal qualities, as well as ensure well-founded decisions when recruiting staff. Ultimately, a skilled approach to interviewing will guarantee the formation of an effective and strong team capable of leading your business to success.