The truth is that the jobs management process begins long before the first interview begins. Everything from writing the right kind of job description to entice the right kind of candidates, to sorting through the resumes you receive to develop a list of interviewees. Once you have developed this primary list and invite people to your office to be interviewed, you can make the process work smoothly by following a few steps.
Ensure that your candidates know how to get to your office and know where to park if applicable. When they arrive, have your secretary or yourself greet them and ensure they are comfortable. A nervous interviewee will be difficult to read, and you won't be able to see what they are really like. Therefore you want to put them at ease as much as possible, and these small steps can help you achieve that.
Once the interview begins, remember that while you're in control of the discussion, you want them to be doing the talking. It's your job to describe the open position and the company, but beyond that, you have to ask the right questions so that you can judge your candidates. You want to get to know what the person has to say, how they say it, and ultimately what makes them stand out. Therefore be sure to ask probing questions, and to follow up with more questions when you're unsure about anything or would like to know more.
While you want to follow a guideline of basic questions to ask that will help you make your decision, don't be afraid to ask questions that pop into your mind. By asking specific follow up questions that deal with an individual's experience or background you will be inviting them to open up more and you'll get a far better look at what they are really like.
You need to really listen and pay attention to the responses, and you should take notes so that you remember all of the details. Also, encourage questions to be asked and provide honest, realistic answers. That is another responsibility that comes with being the manager. Employment with different companies means different things, so you have to paint a clear picture of what it's like to be a member of your team.
Once the interview is over, your job is to be sure the candidate knows what the next step in the process is. Then of course it's reviewing all of the candidates to find your best fit. Don't be afraid to ask for second interviews, and if you conduct them you should have the candidate get more hands-on by perhaps performing certain tasks or completing an activity. The jobs management process is time consuming and complex, but once you know how to handle it and realize that it includes far more than just the interviewing itself, you'll be more prepared to get the job done correctly.
