NS Charney & Associates - Employers Resource Center


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Employers Resource Center

Although engaging the services of NS Charney will substantially increase your ability to attract top quality candidates, the final decision whether a candidate is the perfect fit for your organization comes down to your ability to interview.

NS Charney goes beyond simply providing you with qualified candidates; we can provide assistance throughout the interview process. We encourage you to consult with your recruiter on any aspect of interviewing – from deciding on the type of questions to ask, to evaluating candidate performance during the interview.

The Interview

You can effectively screen out candidates that are not excellent matches for your company culture by looking beyond resumes, references, and technical abilities. Instead, your focus should be on identifying the candidate’s work habits. Eighty-five percent of job failures relate to a lack of appropriate work habits, not a lack of technical ability. We will only present you with candidates that can do the job – are technically qualified. The purpose of an interview is to determine ¬ the candidate will do the job and whether his style fits with the company image and culture.

The best way to screen for work habits is to conduct a behavioral interview. Rather than just asking what a candidate did during her previous employment, behavioral interview questions delve into how she performed those tasks. The goal is to get the candidate to relate very specific experiences in her work history that will allow you to gain insight into how she interacts with coworkers, customers, and managers. A candidate’s ability to work with others or work under pressure is often a good indication of her future success.

Behavioral questions often begin with the phrase “tell me about a time when…” For example, you might ask a candidate to relate an incident in which he had a disagreement with a customer. You are looking for a specific example of such a situation, and the specific steps he took to resolve it. Even the brightest candidates cannot out guess such questions. You are sure to get honest answers that will give you a good understanding of the candidates work habits and character.

Another method often employed by interviewers involves asking a series of open-ended questions. These questions are designed to encourage a full, meaningful answer using the candidate’s own knowledge and feelings. They allow an interviewer to get a sense of what the candidate is really looking for, rather than what he thinks the interviewer wants to hear.

There is a large selection of books, articles, and websites that can provide further guidance on interview styles and questions.

Interviewing Tips

Regardless of your interview style, there are some basic methods that will ensure an effective and successful interview:

Preparation

Spending time with your recruiter before an interview creating a job description, identifying the skills needed to perform the job, and drafting interview questions can save you time and money. Think about your organization’s culture and what types of behaviors fit into it. This will ensure you put your interview time to its most effective use.

Objectivity

Judging a candidate solely on his appearance, body language, or a “gut feeling” will not lead you to choose the best candidate. While such cues can be helpful, do not allow them to replace effective interview questions and techniques. You should also wait until the interview is over before making a decision. Checking a reference or discussing the interview with your NS Charney recruiter may give you a whole new perspective. Consistently asking each candidate the same questions will allow you to compare candidates and ensure your judgment is based on their behaviors and abilities.

Company Policies

Be sure to consult with Human Resources to review your company’s policies on interviewing. There are certain questions that should not be asked in an interview, and your company may prefer to use a certain style of interviewing.