Interviewing Techniques Handbook
Table of Contents
1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................ 2
2 Preparation for the Interview.................................................................................................................................. 2
3 Recruitment process.............................................................................................................................................. 4
3.1 Requirement:.................................................................................................................................................. 4
3.2 Request and approval:.................................................................................................................................... 4
3.3 Recruitment:.................................................................................................................................................... 4
3.4 Offer and on-boarding:.................................................................................................................................... 4
4 Building Rapport.................................................................................................................................................... 5
5 Questioning Skills.................................................................................................................................................. 6
5.1 Types of questions:......................................................................................................................................... 6
5.2 STAR interview techniques............................................................................................................................. 7
6 Getting the ‘Right’ Answer..................................................................................................................................... 8
7 Listening Skills....................................................................................................................................................... 9
8 Body Language.................................................................................................................................................... 10
9 Setting the Scene - Ensuring a Positive Interview Experience............................................................................11
10 Additional Factors when Interviewing................................................................................................................12
10.1 Halo/Horn effect:......................................................................................................................................... 12
10.2 Stereotyping:............................................................................................................................................... 12
10.3 Recruitment decisions based on best of the worst:....................................................................................12
10.4 Selling the role:........................................................................................................................................... 12
10.5 Selling the organisation:..............................................................................................................................12
10.6 What not to mention at interview:................................................................................................................12
10.7 After the interview:...................................................................................................................................... 13
10.8 Legal requirements:.................................................................................................................................... 13
10.9 Further information...................................................................................................................................... 13
Restricted Information and Basic Personal Data
, 1 Introduction
A Guide to assist all Hiring Managers to follow the Cubic recruitment process to promote quality
hiring, retain outstanding personnel and meet the business resource plans. Guidance on preparing
for interviews, interview techniques including questioning and listening skills, body language and
additional factors to be aware of and cater for when organising and conducting interviews.
2 Preparation for the Interview
1. Your requirements
Think about the job specification. What specific skills are you looking for, what experience is
essential and what is desirable? What are the main duties of your position and what is the
scope for career progression within that role? What characteristics are you looking for?
Outlining specific requirements will help to define your questions, and uncover relevant
information.
It is important to remember that you will need to ensure each interview has a mix of
questions related specifically to the candidate as well as mandatory questions which ALL
candidates must be asked during the process. An interview check list and question bank
will be provided separately.
2. Analyse the CV in advance
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have reviewed the candidates CV in advance of
the interview and that you understand the pertinent questions that you need to answer to
determine if they have the skills, knowledge and experience to meet the requirements of
your role. In addition you will need to determine the fit with company culture.
It is easy to overlook this important step when time is at a premium. Your review of the CV will
form the pertinent questions you need to ask to determine how qualified the candidate is for
the role on offer. You should consider and build questions from your review of:
Candidates strengths and weakness versus the job profile
What companies have they worked for including range and size of the company;
how this relates to the role on offer.
What key projects or roles have they undertaken that match your requirements,
think about questions that will tease out their level of experience and knowledge
Any gaps in employment that you wish to understand further
If they are a manager how many people do they manage, how long have they been
managing. You can probe about how they go about developing their teams or what
the turnover was in their team. How many people do they manage, what is their
most recent education or self-development; what development needs or aspirations
do they have as this can inform both how current they are as well as motivations for
advancement.
3. Consider whether you are the right person to conduct the interview
If you are the hiring manager, it may make complete sense for you to be the person
conducting the meeting. However, there may be some cases where it is more appropriate
for another manager to do this instead. There can be many advantages to involving a team
in interviews including:
Restricted Information and Basic Personal Data
Table of Contents
1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................ 2
2 Preparation for the Interview.................................................................................................................................. 2
3 Recruitment process.............................................................................................................................................. 4
3.1 Requirement:.................................................................................................................................................. 4
3.2 Request and approval:.................................................................................................................................... 4
3.3 Recruitment:.................................................................................................................................................... 4
3.4 Offer and on-boarding:.................................................................................................................................... 4
4 Building Rapport.................................................................................................................................................... 5
5 Questioning Skills.................................................................................................................................................. 6
5.1 Types of questions:......................................................................................................................................... 6
5.2 STAR interview techniques............................................................................................................................. 7
6 Getting the ‘Right’ Answer..................................................................................................................................... 8
7 Listening Skills....................................................................................................................................................... 9
8 Body Language.................................................................................................................................................... 10
9 Setting the Scene - Ensuring a Positive Interview Experience............................................................................11
10 Additional Factors when Interviewing................................................................................................................12
10.1 Halo/Horn effect:......................................................................................................................................... 12
10.2 Stereotyping:............................................................................................................................................... 12
10.3 Recruitment decisions based on best of the worst:....................................................................................12
10.4 Selling the role:........................................................................................................................................... 12
10.5 Selling the organisation:..............................................................................................................................12
10.6 What not to mention at interview:................................................................................................................12
10.7 After the interview:...................................................................................................................................... 13
10.8 Legal requirements:.................................................................................................................................... 13
10.9 Further information...................................................................................................................................... 13
Restricted Information and Basic Personal Data
, 1 Introduction
A Guide to assist all Hiring Managers to follow the Cubic recruitment process to promote quality
hiring, retain outstanding personnel and meet the business resource plans. Guidance on preparing
for interviews, interview techniques including questioning and listening skills, body language and
additional factors to be aware of and cater for when organising and conducting interviews.
2 Preparation for the Interview
1. Your requirements
Think about the job specification. What specific skills are you looking for, what experience is
essential and what is desirable? What are the main duties of your position and what is the
scope for career progression within that role? What characteristics are you looking for?
Outlining specific requirements will help to define your questions, and uncover relevant
information.
It is important to remember that you will need to ensure each interview has a mix of
questions related specifically to the candidate as well as mandatory questions which ALL
candidates must be asked during the process. An interview check list and question bank
will be provided separately.
2. Analyse the CV in advance
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have reviewed the candidates CV in advance of
the interview and that you understand the pertinent questions that you need to answer to
determine if they have the skills, knowledge and experience to meet the requirements of
your role. In addition you will need to determine the fit with company culture.
It is easy to overlook this important step when time is at a premium. Your review of the CV will
form the pertinent questions you need to ask to determine how qualified the candidate is for
the role on offer. You should consider and build questions from your review of:
Candidates strengths and weakness versus the job profile
What companies have they worked for including range and size of the company;
how this relates to the role on offer.
What key projects or roles have they undertaken that match your requirements,
think about questions that will tease out their level of experience and knowledge
Any gaps in employment that you wish to understand further
If they are a manager how many people do they manage, how long have they been
managing. You can probe about how they go about developing their teams or what
the turnover was in their team. How many people do they manage, what is their
most recent education or self-development; what development needs or aspirations
do they have as this can inform both how current they are as well as motivations for
advancement.
3. Consider whether you are the right person to conduct the interview
If you are the hiring manager, it may make complete sense for you to be the person
conducting the meeting. However, there may be some cases where it is more appropriate
for another manager to do this instead. There can be many advantages to involving a team
in interviews including:
Restricted Information and Basic Personal Data
