A Job Interview

A job interview can be described as a planned discussion with a specific purpose. How does a selection interview differ from a conversation, a chat about a job?

A business manager needs to gather information that provides evidence about applicant’s ability to do the job, and to fit in with the work team. But interviewing is a mutual exchange of information. It is an opportunity to give an applicant as much information about the job as possible so they can decide whether or not they want to take it if it is offered.

A company wants people who accept jobs to be motivated to work for the business. Treating them with respect is important. It is also important that all applicants see the process was legal, fair and just.

Interviewing is a very inexact procedure. Different interviewers given exactly the same information will form very different opinions of the same candidate. Different managers will select different candidates for a job. Some interesting conclusions are as follows:

· Interviewer’s first impressions derive from the application form, and from their first sights of the interviewee. Evidence shows that they rarely change their opinion.

· Interviewers make their decision about a candidate in first few minutes of the interview, they spend the rest of the interview gathering evidence to support their early decision.

· Most interviewers look for reasons why candidates are not suitable more than they look for evidence that they are suitable.

· If an interviewer has made an early decision, this is communicated to the candidate by his body language, and the interviewee must respond accordingly.

· Despite this, interviewing is still the most common selection technique used by business today.