Interview Etiquette

Before the Interview  Set reminders for all phone and on-site interviews. If you must reschedule, do so as far in advance as possible.  Read through the candidate’s resume, and know what position they are interviewing for.  Set aside a quiet place to speak.  Plan ahead. Set aside enough time to meet, so that the interview isn’t rushed.  Prepare questions, and make sure that you are asking the same questions of each candidate. You can follow up with individualized requests for clarification.

When the Candidate Arrives  Confirm that the candidate has completed and signed the necessary pre-hire documents.  Offer a (non-alcoholic) beverage.  Set the candidate at ease with small talk.

During the Interview: Questions  Ask open ended questions; try to get the candidate to speak candidly.  Ask behavioral questions. Find out what the candidate has done in the past in order to predict what they would do in the future.  Ask for specific experiences where the candidate exhibited the competencies necessary for the job.  “Tell me about a time when…”  “In your position as ________, how did you __________?  “Describe an innovation that you proposed for a previous employer.”

During the Interview: Probing  Listen to the full answer before preparing your next question.  If an answer sounds incomplete, vague, or ambiguous, ask follow up questions.  These questions often begin with “what” or “how” – try to avoid “why,” because this will likely make the candidate defensive.  “Could you please tell me more about…”  “What did you mean by…”  “What makes you feel that way?”  If an answer sounds rehearsed  Ask follow up questions until the answers sound thoughtful and candid.  Avoid asking over-used and unhelpful questions. (i.e. “What is your greatest weakness?” – either they are a perfectionist, or they’re a workaholic. Instead, ask: “What areas of training would your past supervisor say you would benefit from the most?”)

During the Interview: Productive Questions  Don’t ask: “Why do you want to work here?” or “Why do you want this job?”  Instead, ask: “What particular skills or experiences make you the best match for this position?”  Don’t ask: “Where do you see yourself in five years?”  Instead, ask: “Where does this position fall along your career path?”  Don’t ask: “What did you like the least about your last job/employer?”  Instead, ask: “What aspects of your previous position did you find most professionally challenging?”

During the Interview: Legal Questions  Don’t ask questions regarding age, marital/family status, height, weight, disabilities, illnesses, national origin/citizenship, arrest record, military discharge, club or religious affiliations, race, credit record, or any other subject irrelevant to job performance.  Do ask questions that relate to the candidate’s ability to do the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

During the Interview: About Audax  Discuss the job description with the candidate.  Give the candidate a brief overview of who we are.  Sell the Audax Health culture – make sure that the candidate would fit in, and be comfortable in our environment.  Show the candidate the work area.

Ending the Interview  Ask the candidate if there is anything else that they would like to share about their qualifications.  Ask if the candidate has any questions.  Ask if the candidate is interested in the job, based on the information you provided.  If you are the last to meet with the candidate, let them know that someone from the recruiting team will follow up. Walk them to the elevators.  If you are not the last to meet with the candidate, let them know that someone else will come speak with them. Make sure that the next interviewer is aware that the candidate is waiting for them.  Thank the candidate for their time!

Reminders  Do not make promises. This includes promising an on-site interview, an unrealistic schedule for a final decision, and job offers.  Try not to discuss salaries with candidates. Direct any questions to the recruiting team.  Similarly, do not discuss our company’s finances with candidates.  Avoid giving candidates a negative impression of Audax Health and the job that they are interviewing for.  Do not give the candidate negative or positive feedback following the interview.  Submit your feedback to the recruiting team as promptly as possible.  Be positive! Even if you don’t think the candidate is a fit for Audax Health, leave them with a positive impression of the company.

Questions?