Prior to conducting interviews, there is one remaining procedure that you may wish to consider using — the pre-interview questionnaire [1].  

 The pre-interview questionnaire is a series of questions that are pertinent to the position for which you are recruiting. It has two purposes:

• To obtain insight into the candidate’s knowledge and understanding on subjects that are important to the job and the organization
• To determine the candidate’s ability to communicate in writing

Both of the above are important in evaluating candidates for managerial and professional positions.

The pre-interview questionnaire should be returned by each candidate well in advance of the interview date, so that each interviewer has an opportunity to review it and complete the pre-interview assessment form [2]. The assessment form should be completed and at hand when you interview the candidate. You may desire to audiotape or videotape the interview.

In preparing for the interview you may discover that some of the candidates you are considering have decided not to pursue the opportunity. There are a number of legitimate reasons why this may happen. Accepting another position, second thoughts about leaving the current job, or reaching a conclusion that this is just not the right move are not uncommon.

In deciding how many candidates to interview, you must be guided in part by budget and time constraints. Time and money have a way of helping make decisions. There is no magic number. Be guided by the specific situation that confronts you, and do not force the situation by striving for a particular number. Interviewing three candidates that you really feel good about is better than interviewing five against your better judgment.

You will need to decide who will be doing the interviewing for your organization. Your charter may dictate who will do the hiring for the position. For a management or professional position, it is a good idea for more than one person to participate. Sometimes a screening committee or a selection committee approach makes sense. Often it may be the governing body itself. What’s important is to include some perceptive questioners and listeners. The interview is an important event leading to a big decision. You are about to do some heavy-duty comparison shopping.

It is necessary that you enter the interview with a clear plan and specific objectives. At a minimum, observe these basic principles:

• Know at the outset how the interview will be conducted and the kind of information you want to secure from each candidate
• Communicate, in general terms, with each candidate prior to the interview about the information you will be seeking
• Approach the interview as a two-way street, recognizing that the candidates also are interviewing you
• Prepare yourself psychologically to manage and control the interview
• Prepare in advance a list of basic questions that will be directed to each candidate
• Prepare in advance an evaluation form to be used by those doing the interviewing for your organization

The kinds of questions asked in the interview are important, and careful consideration should be given to the way they are worded and asked. For a professional management-level position, these are some of the areas that you should evaluate in the interview:

• Demonstrated leadership potential
• Demonstrated management potential
• Demonstrated knowledge of departmental operations
• Ability to work with people and groups
• Demonstration of good judgment and common sense
• Demonstrated ability to relate as a team player  
• Demonstrated past performance
• Oral communication skills
• Extent to which the individual is goal directed
• Extent to which the individual is service oriented

These areas are general categories within which specific questions are developed and asked. All candidates should be asked the same questions. The emphasis and importance placed on each area will vary depending upon the needs and priorities of the position and the organization.

It is important to emphasize the importance of conducting each interview in a fair and equitable manner. It is not possible to develop identical interview situations, but every effort should be made to ensure a basic consistency in the interview format. This does not mean that concerns specific to a particular candidate cannot or should not be pursued. The interview is exactly the right time to do that.

What are the basic goals of interviewing for management and professional positions? There are two, and they must be kept uppermost in mind at all times:

• To determine if the candidate has the technical competence, experience, and skills to do the job you want done, in the way you want it done
• To determine if the candidate has the personal qualities and characteristics that fit the needs of the organization and the community

The interview begins by you welcoming the candidate and making him or her feel comfortable. Open the interview by highlighting the job description and reviewing with the candidates the salient features of their resumes. Allow and encourage candidates to tell you about themselves. Keep in mind that the interview is a two-way street. Both parties are buyers and both are sellers. As the potential employer, you must be prepared to answer legitimate questions. If a candidate does not ask you any questions, you have good reason to be concerned about that candidate’s seriousness. Allow at least one-third of the total interview time for the candidate’s questions and for your responses.

The uppermost concern of most job candidates is “Is this the right job for me?” The questions directed to you and the answers you give are significant because they will help the candidate make a decision on that most important of questions. In answering, be honest and straightforward. Anything short of honesty is a disservice to your own organization and grossly unfair to the candidate. Answering the question “Is this the right job for me?” is as important to you as it is to the candidate. If you are an inexperienced interviewer, there are a number of common pitfalls that you should be aware of and avoid. These include:

• Asking leading questions
• Making decisions too early in the interview
• Failing to properly relate questions and answers to job requirements (the job description)
• Talking too much and listening too little. The candidate should do at least 75 percent of the talking
• Failing to manage the interview. Keep it on track and under control
• Allowing one factor, positive or negative, to exert undue influence. Try to consider the person within the total framework of his personality and professional competency
• Failing to probe and ask follow-up questions when a response is incomplete or confusing
• Judging the candidate solely on personality

There are many legal concerns and questions related to hiring.  Visit the section entitled "Interviewing and the Law" to get more detailed information regarding questions that can be asked during an interview.    

During the interview do everything you can to get the whole story, the big picture and all the basic questions answered to your satisfaction. At the conclusion of the interview complete the interview evaluation form. It is not unusual that more than one interview with the same candidate may be necessary or desirable.

As you continue to narrow the field and to really zero in on one or two applicants, a second or third interview can be productive and decisive. Do what is necessary to completely achieve the two primary objectives of the interview. Do not ask questions regarding religion, ethnicity, health, marital status, dependents or politics.