Original text

You’ve advertised your open position, screened resumes and applications, and now you’re ready to interview the top candidates. Conducting in-depth interviews is time-consuming, it and can be stressful and unproductive if you’re not prepared. How do you make the most of this investment of your precious time? How can you glean the information you need to make the best decision for your business? 

Download this template to help you develop a list of questions to ask each candidate.

Then follow these tips for best results:

• Be consistent. To evaluate candidates fairly, ask everyone the same set of questions.
• Open up. Ask open-ended questions rather than “yes or no” questions.
• Listen carefully. If the initial answer doesn’t tell you what you need to know, keep probing until you get a meaningful response.
• Encourage questions. The questions a candidate asks can be as telling as their answers to your questions.

Remember to brush up on what you cannot ask in an interview. Federal and state laws prohibit certain questions that might be used to discriminate against candidates.

For more advice, download the free e-book, “So You Want to Be the Boss,” created by ComplyRight in partnership with SCORE.