Many experts consider the interview process to be the most important form of hiring practices because it is a part of nearly all hiring decisions. The interview process allows both the potential employer and the prospective employee to get to know one another and discuss the position and workplace through a series of questions and answers. While resumes can provide insight into a candidate’s skill level and basic qualifications, the interview process can provide insight into the applicant’s attitude and character.
The interview process can reveal a lot about the job, workplace, and employer to the job seeker. Many people try to get interviews after only seeing a brief advertisement or posting that only gives the job’s general title and minimum requirements. An interview allows the applicant to inquire about specific responsibilities, chain of command, advancement opportunities, work environment, and salary or benefits. Although the interview appears to be about determining whether the candidate is right for the job, it is also about determining whether the job is right for the candidate.
An interview can be conducted in a variety of ways by employers. After initial applications and resumes have been submitted, interviews are frequently the second or final step in the hiring process. An employer may choose to interview all of the candidates or just a few of the most qualified applicants. Getting an interview may be contingent on the candidate’s relevant skills, personal connections, industry reputation, or even the number of applicants.
Interviews can take place on the phone or in person. Phone interviews are frequently used as a prelude to in-person interviews, and they can be used to narrow the field down to a select few candidates. Because the interview process can take weeks or months after the application is submitted, phone interviews allow the employer to determine if the applicant is still interested in the position. In-person interviews allow for a more thorough examination of both the candidate and the employer, and they can last much longer than a phone interview.
The employer may ask a variety of questions about the applicant’s motivations, ambitions, experience, education, and personality during the interview process. These questions help determine why the applicant wants the job, whether he or she is prepared for the job’s responsibilities, and what kind of attitude the applicant will bring to the workplace. Some employers may give applicants a rating or grade based on their responses, but this information is usually kept private. Depending on the employer and the job, ratings and grades may be weighted differently; for example, some employers may value skills over attitude. The employer will usually give the job to the person with the highest weighted rating after all interviews are completed, though this may take several rounds of interviews to reach this conclusion.