Job Interview Tips for Employers

Job interviews are tough all around, and it often takes actually having to interview people to realize how bad it can be. If you are an employer looking to hire help, or a person who's brand new to HR work, then it only makes sense to learn how to make the job interview process as painless as possible for everyone involved.

Finding new help can be pretty difficult, but with the right techniques, interviewing applicants will be way easier. From personal experience, these job interview tips for employers make things way easier for HR reps and employees alike.

Run cursory criminal background checks before you even call them to an interview.

This is one of those job interview tips for employers that seems like common sense, but it isn't. Most people don't want to take the time to background check everyone who has a decent resume.

A lot of people will pull people into job interviews, find candidates, and then check to see if they are felony-free. This is all great, but it wastes your time — and background checks only take seconds to do.

There have been many cases in which candidates presented themselves wonderfully, were almost hired, and then background check results come back with heinous crimes.

The time spent interviewing them could have been spent with others, and that could have also meant less of a headache for you. On a similar note, references should be checked prior to the interview as well.

Have a list of generic interview questions, and keep questions open-ended.

Once again, it's one of those job interview tips for employers that seems like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised at how often employers don't do this. Many interviewers like to ask questions "on the fly," but the truth is that they don't often get good replies...or ask good interview questions this way.

If you tend to forget what you were going to ask, the best way to work around this is to keep a clipboard with questions. If your applicant says something interesting, ask them to expand on that.

Be warm, friendly, and approachable in your mannerisms around applicants.

Many of the best employees are shy people who get nervous during job interviews, and this is a big issue. Too often, employers skip over people who get nervous about interviews. For employers, this often means losing out on good talent and loyal workers.

This is one of those job interview tips for employers who want to harness the full potential of a socially awkward employee. Typically, interviewers will act somewhat cool and professional with their interviewees.

A better approach, particularly among those who are clearly nervous, is to talk to them like they're a friend you haven't seen in a while. Smile, say hello, welcome them to the office, and sit them down. More often than not, their nervousness subsides and they can open up.

Besides, it gives candidates a great first impression of your company — and that bodes well for employers!

Offer a realistic wage.

If you want good talent, you will have to pay a good salary. If you want mediocre talent, you will have to deal with a mediocre salary. If you want to hire someone for pennies, you better be willing to excuse a lot of behavior.

One of the best job interview tips for employers on a budget is to be reasonable about what you are going to be paying them, and what you can afford in terms of talent.

Simply put, you're not going to get someone with a college degree to work for minimum wage — unless you're a fast food restaurant owner. All the job interview tips for employers you can use will not change that fact.

Similarly, most people will also work harder for more money. Don't be the employer that will offer "a better wage, someday." Be the employer who offers a good wage now, and you'll get great talent.

Remember, the person across the desk from you is still a human being.

Personally, I've seen a lot of interviewers who really, truly should not be working in HR. As someone who's been on both sides of the fence, I will be the first one to say that one of the smartest job interview tips for employers is to remember that person's humanity.

This means the following things:

• Understand where they are coming from. Most job interviewees will be nervous. They may stammer, they may have a chaotic time at home, and they may really need a job. You need to be understanding of that. If they make a valiant effort to be on time and present themselves well, don't cut them down!
• Be polite to them. Even if you don't hire them, you never know when you'll run into them again. In two years, you may end up applying for a job for them. Being rude to them is a good way to make sure they remember you in the future — and not in a good way.
• Do not lie to them about the job. This is a good way to alienate good employees and make terrible enemies in your own work environment.
• Respect them and be professional around them. In other words, don't do something that would make you seem like a cringe-inducing jerk. Don't hit on them, don't belch around them, and don't be gross.

Lastly, look for compatibility with the company — rather than compatibility for your clique.

At a couple of the places I used to work at, everything was hinged on how well you got along with the office "ringleaders." Yes, it was hell. No, the companies aren't doing well.

As a former employee of these kinds of companies, one of the most brutally honest job interview tips for employers I can give is to remember that it's not a competition over who can be your new bestie.

Companies that have that kind of office dynamic never work out in the long run, and almost always dissolve into Mean Girlsmeets Devil Wears Prada. If you care about your financial well-being, you will not make that mistake when interviewing new employees.