Some Important Keys That Will Result in a Successful Job Interview - Part 1 - Tips For the Employer

Regardless of your perspective.., potential employee, or employer, the purpose of a job interview should be the same.
The similarity is that both the potential employee and the employer need to make an initial assessment (in a very brief amount of time) as to whether the candidate is a good fit for the open position.
Both the candidate and the employee will base their decisions on observations and shared information.
We can talk about the "proper" answers to the canned questions - many articles have already been written pertaining to that subject - so let's not get side-tracked by politically correct canned minutiae.
Actually, on both sides of the desk the interview often degenerates into a canned go by the numbers routine of "where do you see yourself in five years" and "what is your weakest trait" type drivel, and "I'll do anything required" and "I am sure I would have no problem with ..." type of innocuous responses.
Please, people, let's get real.
First, a few ideas for the employer. Please do not treat the interviewing process as an inconvenience or formality. Take a thorough and genuine interest in the candidate with the goal of envisioning him/her within the organization, while at the same time keeping in mind that this is an investigation - not a coronation. It's ok to ask canned questions - but try to do it in a way that does not make you sound like an automaton. Instead of "where do you see yourself in 5 years" ask "what are your thoughts on career advancement."
Also, please devote the time to the interviewee. If at all possible, meet with the candidate away from your office, phone, curious co-workers, and info-seeking superiors.
Try to be pleasant and not haughty. You may feel that your company is the greatest place on Earth to work and that it would be an ultimate privilege to work there, but in reality, not every one would agree. You are an employee trying to hire another employee for the purpose of making the Company stronger - that's all. Being down to earth will allow the candidate to loosen up and lead to a clearer picture of the person. He/she will be much more likely to share views and ask questions (which will also be revealing) if they are relaxed and not uptight.
Please do not be long-winded. The idea is to exchange information. You will not be able to draw information from the candidate if you spend 20 minutes of the 30 minute session pointing out the long history of the Company, a detailed explanation of the benefits package, and a detailed rundown of your work history and accomplishments.
When you talk about the history of the Company, be brief and concise. Ask the candidate what they know about the Company - this will tell you if the candidate has done any homework, but more importantly it will also create a dialogue.
Intertwine your work record with questions about the candidates' experiences. It will be easier to consider and compare similarities and contrasts. More relevant details and a better understanding may be extracted if you can discuss similar prior experiences. Again, be conversational.
By the end of the interview, you want to have a good understanding of 1) why the candidate thought they would be a good fit for the position, 2) the overall capabilities of the candidate, 3) a feel for whether the candidate would be a good fit into the organization, 4) the likelihood of the candidate being successful (also if additional training would be required, or if he/she could hit the ground running).
These factors can all be evaluated with open and frank conversational discussion.
These are just a few of the things to keep in mind when interviewing prospective employees.
In my next article, I will address some of the factors the prospective employee should keep in mind during an interview.
Rick Caciale is an Engineer with 15 years experience as a supervisor and 35 years experience as an employee. For more Job Interviewing tips, please visit my Blog at Http://job-interview-tips-useful.blogspot.com
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