Interview Tips: Do's and Don'ts
Taking note of a few key tips can help you get the most from the candidate interview. Be sure to have an opening/closing
statement plus a list of key points that you want to cover during the process.
Do
- Plan and prepare adequately
- Give it the time and effort required to get a great result
- Highlight the benefits of the organisation
- Be welcoming and hold telephone calls
- Let the applicant do most of the talking
- Compliment positive information
- Ask the more difficult questions only after the applicant is at ease
- Keep a record of each applicant
- Understand what you can & can’t ask
- State “the next steps” after the interview
- Follow-up quickly
Don't
- Be rushed and ill-prepared
- Be competitive, point-scoring and testing
- Oversell the position
- Have a personal bias
- Help applicants formulate their response
- Ask for questions just at the end (as you are looking at your watch)
- Think you will remember each person without some reminders and notes
- Don’t ask questions that put your business at risk of legal action
- Take too long to make a decision (you may lose that great candidate)
- Think this is just about them!
Anti-discrimination legislation
There are many state and federal laws that govern what can and cannot be asked in interviews.
As an employer it is your responsibility to be aware of these. If in doubt get legal counsel or contact the
Equal Opportunity Commission in your State or Territory.
Generally questions regarding the following cannot be asked:
- Sex/gender
- Age
- Race or skin colour
- Religion
- Country of Origin
- Marital status
- Disability