This document outlines 13 steps to conducting a near-perfect employment interview. The steps include: 1) Making a list of must-have criteria for the role. 2) Planning appropriate questions to ask all candidates. 3) Reviewing candidates' resumes in advance. 4) Putting candidates at ease. 5) Starting with easy introductory questions. 6) Probing deeper into candidates' experiences and examples. 7) Taking detailed notes during the interview. 8) Selling the company and role to candidates. 9) Being transparent about the hiring process. 10) Adding to notes right after each interview. 11) Conducting talent assessments for finalists. 12) Making a hiring decision and notifying all candidates. 13)

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The Bakers’ Dozen Steps to a
by Beth Sunshine, VP Talent Services
NEAR-PERFECT
EMPLOYMENT
INTERVIEW

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If I told you it would be a perfect interview, you would
have known better. Nothing in life or business is perfect.
But yes, we can get close to perfection...

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It’s a near-perfect interview if:
• You get honest, reliable, useful answers.
• You learn if the candidate fits your needs and your style.
• You leave the candidate eager for what will happen next.

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You wouldn’t go shopping for the ingredients of an important
meal without planning the menu, and this is no different.
Write down the “must-haves” for this hire so you are sure to
find the right person.
Do you need someone that can grow relationships long-term?
Is creativity a must-have in this position? Do you need someone
who is “hungry” to hit the streets? Social-media savvy?
Writing it down makes all the difference. Winging it is strictly
for amateurs.
1 Make a Shopping List

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You’re probably going to interview more than one candidate.
So you need a system that allows you to compare apples to
apples.
Plan a core group of questions that you will ask all applicants
and determine what answers you are looking for, or what the
candidate’s answer must include for it to be a good answer.
Plenty of job-seekers are great at selling themselves, but fail
in the job. Smoke out these poseurs by asking competency-
based or behavioral interview questions that allow you to
understand how the candidate will likely behave in the job.
2 Plan the right kinds of questions

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If you’re first reading the résumé while you’re interviewing the
candidate, you’re winging it and wasting everyone’s time—and
the candidate can tell.
Your advance planning should include reviewing the résumé,
highlighting areas you want to learn more about, and
structuring questions that get the candidate talking about their
prior performance.
3 Read the résumé as you plan

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A job applicant who is ‘on edge’ will give guarded answers,
responses that are carefully crafted to avoid making a mistake.
You want the opposite—a totally comfortable candidate who
opens up and lets her thoughts flow freely.
So set the tone from the beginning by finding a comfortable
place to talk that allows her to sit back and relax. Start with a
warm welcome that puts her at ease. And keep it friendly by
smiling and being open to all she has to say.
4 Put the candidate at ease

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Stage your questions by deciding which ones to ask earlier in
the interview, and which to save for later.
Begin with your easiest, most comfortable questions first, the
ones you think the candidate will be most delighted to answer.
As a rule, the more general questions should usually precede
those that are more specific or those that call for stories or
examples.
5 Start with a slow pitch down the middle

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Going deep into the candidate’s career experiences doesn’t
have to involve a shift away from the warmth you showed early
on.
Asking strong, specific, multi-layer questions can be done in a
friendly, curious, optimstic manner. you’re looking for success
and performance, not trouble, so don’t make it sound that way.
Probe deeper by saying Tell me more or asking I’d love to hear
about a time when you did that. After hearing an example,
explore the depth of their behavior by asking Can you give me
another example of that?
6 Don’t be afraid to dig

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This is an other of those interviewer behaviors that marks you
as a pro, not an amateur.
Not only is taking detailed notes of tremendous help when
you must make those tough hiring decisions, but it also sends
a clear message to the candidate that what he is saying is
important to you. Make sure your notes are about what the
candidate actualy said, not other observations or conclusions.
Contract at the beginning of the interview, explaining that
you’re entirely focused on capturing her responses so she
should not be surprised that you will be writing quite a bit.
7 Take plenty of notes

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Never forget that, while you are interviewing them, they are
also interviewing you.
Take every opportunity to shine the spotlight on the best
features of the job, on the environment for success, on the
reputation the company has built with customers and prosects,
and what it’s like to work with you as their manager and
mentor.
There is nothing worse than finally finding the right person, on
ly to learn they are not as sold on the opportunity as you are.
8 Sell your company as an employer

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Explain your selection process from beginning to end.
If there will be many interviews, a standardized assessment, or
an assignment of some sort, let your candidates know. Share
your timeline so candidates know how quickly they should
expect things to move. Keep them apprised of their own status
and progress.
9 Be transparent about your process

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The last four of my bakers’ dozen steps happen after the
interview is over...

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Immediately following the interview, flesh out your notes
while it is all still fresh in your mind. If you wait to do rthis, the
interviews all start to blend together in your brain.
What was your overall impression? Will her personality fit?
Did she arrive on time? Did she present herself well? Was she
professionally dressed? Had she done her homework on the
job and the company? Did she establish rapport quickly and
easily? Did she ask about the next steps in the process?
You likely saw her at his very best. Did you like her? Do you
want to work with her every day?
10 Add more notes after the interview

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For each candidate your determine (based on that shopping
list!) to be a finalist, arrange for a standardized talent
assessment.
You learned a lot about each of these finalists, but to truly
understand how each person is “wired,” and how their unique
configuration of strengths and weaknesses will interact to
produce on-the-job behavior, you need to order an unbiased
evaluation of their job-specific talents, and then to have an in-
depth conversation about each candidate with a professional
Talent Analyst.
11 Order a talent assessment

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You’re probably hiring just one person for one opening. What
of the others?
They will likely fall into two categories, those you’ve decided
have no place in your organization, and those who you may
wish to bring on board in the future.
Make sure you respond to every one of them and let them
know that someone else was selected. If you have no further
interest, thank them nicely for applying. If you think you may
want to hire them in the future, let them know of your continuing
interest and that you’ll be in touch again.
12 Decision time

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Telling some of those not selected that you’re going to stay in
touch for possible future opportunities in your company was
sincere, wasn’t it? I hope so, because keeping a strong talent
bank will make the next selection much easier!
You should maintain a formal talent bank. “Maintain” means
you pay attention to that list of talented people and refer to it
whenever you or a colleague has an opening.
It also means staying in touch with each person, keeping up to
date on their progress, and showing your ongoing interest.
13 Stock your talent bank!