Employers who hire people based solely upon their interview performance run the very real risk of not getting the right person for the job. Some people excel at interviewing, while others excel at job performance. The best employee might turn out to be the worst interviewee and vice versa.
To truly find the best candidate for a job, employers should use several criteria in making their decision and each element should carry the same amount of weight. By selecting five sample elements as noted below, the employer can rate each element at a maximum of 20 points. After the interviews and background checks are completed, the person with the most points should be the right person for the job.
1. Interview
- composure
- correct answers
- job knowledge
- oral communication skills
Each element carries a maximum of five points, with a total of 20 points possible.
2. Experience
- score based on complete job history and work experience. Sometimes menial-type jobs such as restaurant work can demonstrate excellent work ethic and ability to function well in high-pressure situations. Overall score - maximum 20 points
3. References
- good references score points.
- bad references deduct points
4. Education
- evaluate the entire educational history, including special classes taken in high school and college. Degrees alone should not carry the most weight while they do indicate staying power and the ability to finish what one has started. Overall score - maximum 20 points.
5. Special skills
- Does the person have any vocational training? Have they won any awards in school or in previous jobs? Overall score - maximum 20 points
As an example, a person selected based only on excellent interview performance may have limited education and experience, no special skills, and bad references while the person who stumbles over their answers in an interview might have an impeccable work and education history. Limiting to interview performance alone can significantly reduce the field of suitable candidates and leave the employer with the very worst potential employee that they may well regret hiring later on.
Some people freeze when they go into an interview. Their minds go blank. Their answers to the questions are scattered and often nonsensical, and at times they go over the same answers time and time again while trying to get to the gist of their answer. Their nervousness takes over and someone who may very well be very self-confident and capable on the job can appear like a bumbling idiot. They forget what they have already said and they neglect to touch upon critical elements of the questions. This is the personification of the worst interviewee that exists.
But being a poor interviewee does not necessarily equate to being a poor employee. And nervousness during an interview does not necessarily equate to being unable to perform well under pressure.
These facts are why it is critical for potential employers to do additional research in each candidate before making a final selection. The suave, carefree interviewee who blows away the interview might be wonderful at making first impressions but horrible at getting the job done.
Employers need to use balance in making hiring decisions if they truly want to hire the best person for the job.