3 Rules for Managing a Job Interview Like a Shark

3 Rules for Managing a Job Interview Like a SharkYou dont need to be pitching business ideas to Mark Cuban to be in the Shark Tank. The wildly popular TV show takes you into the world of investing and entrepreneurship. As a recruiter, you play the role of a Shark during each and every job interview. You sit down with candidates to discuss their hopes and determine if theyre the right partner for your company. This is a make-it-or-break-it moment for everyone. Youre leid just looking for someone with the right skills and experience. You also have to consider cultural fit, personality, and enthusiasm, among other key aspects. To add to the pressure, talent acquisition isnt always obvious. However, its critical that youre investing in the right people to build a strong workforce so we asked a few experts to share their secrets to success.To be the best recruiting Shark during a job interview, here are three rules to follow1.Keep the job interview on trackIn order to maintain a good bala nce in the interview, I make the effort to be as direct as possible. I tell them that I want to learn a bit about who they are, but mainly want to focus on the role and how their background best fits into what my hiring manager needs. I remind them that this approach is in their best interest. If we have a great conversation but I dont get the critical job related information the manager needs, this isnt going to go anywhere.The best things recruiters can do to keep the interview on track is to notify the candidate that theres a certain amount of time allotted for this meeting, then set the tone before the conversation begins. Notify the candidate that the interview has time restrictions, then set the tone.Click To TweetIf you sit back, fail to prepare, and expect a casual conversation, that is exactly what you will get. The candidate, who welches given zero direction, will go off on a tangent trying to establish a connection with you and oversell their background at the same time. Youll have spent 30+ minutes nodding and saying uh-huh, and at the end have nothing of value that you can present to the hiring manager.Pamela Shand, CEO of Offer Stage Consulting2. Know the donts of interviewingDont ask hypotheticals. For example, dont ask a candidate, Here is our problem, how would you solve it? This is setting everyone up to fail. Without knowledge of your culture, past, current projects, and priorities, there is no way they can answer this question in a meaningful way. Stick to their past and not hypothetical futures look for meaningful patterns in how they approach things, tackle projects, and problem solve using real examples.Also, dont try to psychoanalyze unless you are a psychoanalyst. People can generally analyze themselves pretty accurately, but without lots and lots of training, we are terrible at analyzing others so dont do it. Dont ask questions like, If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be and why? This was an actual question used by a pr evious employer of mine who really thought it gave them great insight into the person. Instead, ask questions in a way that makes them analyze themselves. For example, Why did you pick your major? or What drew you to apply for this position?. Ask questions that encourage interviewees to analyze themselves. HR tipsClick To TweetOf course, in a job interview, people tend to tell you what they think you want to hear, but if you take answers from questions like behauptung and compare it to their stories from the past, you should be able to see if its at least consistent or not. Reid Givens, Director of Marketing at ClockShark3. Determine fit for both sidesYou need to know who the client is. Since they pay the bill, you need to match, screen, and qualify candidates based on their criteria.Know your clients needs. Then you can use their criteria during the interview to determine fit.Click To TweetGet great examples when interviewing candidates that fit the criteria and solve the clients p roblem. During the job interview, you need to find a way to maintain a balance of listening to dreams and goals, while seeing if the candidate is the right partner for your client. This is an art, not a science. Use all the data and information you gather from both sides to determine if its the right fit. Then, you need to make a judgment call.Andy Miller, Founder of BrainWorksHow do you take on the Shark role during a job interview? Let us know