The 1st 'Visit'

Like in any project, the better the interview plan, the better the outcome. Try these tips for a first visit.

Know the job and the success indicators. Create a specific "success profile." Look for those successes in candidates.

Warm-up (5-10 minutes). Successful interviewers operate in a relaxed manner. A rigid approach hurts rapport. Explain your plan for the meeting at the outset to establish control of the process, set expectations and save time.

Information gathering (30-45 minutes). Your mission: Understand the candidate. Don’t evaluate. Find out what candidates accomplished, how they did it, who they did it with and why. Take notes.

Questions (10-15 minutes). The things we learn from questions! One candidate might ask about work hours, another about customer survey scores. The first person wants a job change, the latter a career move.

Closing (5-10 minutes). Explain next steps. Thank candidates for their interest in your firm. Make sure they leave feeling important. You gain little if they leave without a positive impression of your firm.