Interviews can be a difficult and sometimes an unfair way of evaluating a potential employee. The individual being interviewed may find it hard to present themselves in the way they desire, which can impact the reliability and validity of the interview. This makes it all the more important that those in charge of interviewing have questions that are reliable and effective.
At my current job at Dixon Recreation Center I have gotten the opportunity to be a part of the interviewing process. Seeing the other side has been incredibly valuable. Seeing the questions that my boss asks, and having the opportunity to analyze candidates alongside him and my coworkers, allows me to understand the validity and utility of the questions asked. My boss looks to not only observe if they are capable of doing the work, but if they fit in with the culture we have built. He knows people will be able to learn how to fix machines, but cares more about how we’ll function as a team. This approach results in the questions leaning more on a personal side, asking about life experiences and perspectives. Many questions that inquire about the candidates lifestyle and way of living are used. The validity of our interview process is reflected by the team we have built. It has largely been due to the questions that are asked, as they allow us to see the personality and views of whoever is being interviewed extremely well. From this perspective of interviewing, I have been able to see which questions provide valuable information about a candidate’s fit for the role. This has informed me on how to better present myself in my own interviews.
If I could advise employers on how to improve their interviews, I would suggest spending ample time creating strong interview questions that have purpose and can apply to all candidates. A strong interview should lead the candidate through with questions that are not too difficult to answer, but allow those interviewing to gain information on the candidate as a person, along with their skills.
Work cited: https://hbr.org/2016/04/how-to-take-the-bias-out-of-interviews
