Interviews are just one piece of the candidate prediction method. Alone, they aren’t effective. One study indicates they are the ninth lowest predictor of candidate success. That’s ninth out of nineteen possible candidate prediction methods. Combined with other prediction methods, interviews increase the chances of predicting candidate success significantly.
But what are they for?
Let’s assume you’ve already assessed the candidate’s skills, cognitive abilities and fit with screening and candidate assessments. What you’re looking for in the interview is “who” this person is. Not if they are going to show up on time or not, but how they react to showing up on time or being late. Did they call ahead if they were running late, did they give notice that it may be difficult running to the interview at lunch hour? Did they let you know upfront that they needed to leave at a specific time?
What you’re looking for is three Ds:
Are we asking the right questions? What’s difficult is removing questions that support “self- marketing ” vs. doing the job, fitting in and growing with a company. Behavioral interview questions will help you understand how a potential candidate has handled a situation in the past. Behavioral questions can tell you how they handled situations that deal with desire, discipline, and distractions. Non-behavioural questions need to be thoughtfully and practically constructed. So many leaders/managers say “I just wing it”, but when you wing it, you’re not able to logically compare candidates.
Related: The Future Of Recruiting: Video Resumes