The most important thing to remember about a face-to-face interview is that it isn’t just about the candidate. It’s about you. As much as you are asking questions to find out more about the candidate, the candidate will be making a judgement on you, the job and your business too. First impressions are just as important for the candidate as they are for you.

It’s important that you are prepared for the face-to-face interview. Make sure you have read their CV, job application and cover letter, where applicable. Plan out your questions in advance. These questions should include things about the skills and experience they have, as well as what they think they will bring to your business.

You need to make sure you tell them about you, your business and the job role too. Explain why the job role is available. Is it due to company growth or career progression? Both of these things will place your business in a positive light. Talk about the goals of your business and your mission, as well as your company culture. The candidate will then better understand your business and how they fit in with your goals.

When thinking about the questions to ask in a face-to-face interview, make sure they are open questions. Questions that leave the candidate with the option of saying yes or no will not be very useful for getting to know more about the candidate.

The goal of an interview is to get the candidate to talk so you get to know more about their skills and experience, as well as getting to know them personally. Then more you can get your candidate to engage and talk, the more successful your interview will be.

It’s important to remember that there are certain questions that you should not ask. Some of these are against the law to ask, others are just not recommended. For example, you shouldn’t ask about the race, religion, gender or ethnicity of a candidate. You should avoid questions surrounding a candidates physical or mental disability, as well as their marital status. It’s important that you never ask a candidate if they are pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the near future. These are all questions that could land you in extremely hot water.

It’s likely that you have been interviewed before. Think about the questions you were asked and what you liked or didn’t like about the interview. If you need any help preparing for your face-to-face interview, or want some more top tips, call our team of friendly recruitment consultants. We are here to help and support your business development and growth.