Introduction

You will need to have a copy of all questions that you plan on asking and room to make notes during the interview. If you are interviewing more than one applicant in a day you will have difficulty remembering individual details. If you are interviewing over several days you will forget information by the end. Also, taking notes and including a simple rating scale helps you to be more objective and will be useful if your decision is called into question.

If using a rating scale, you should ensure that each of the ratings is defined so that all interviewers will have the same understanding. Two examples follow, but you will need to use definitions that suit your questions.

Example 1

1	2	3	4	5
Did not meet criteria	Met some criteria	Met criteria	Exceeded some criteria	Exceeded all criteria

Example 2

5	4	3	2	1
Exceptional	Strength	Competent	Needs development	Below standard

You might also consider using the STAR interview technique to assess candidates. Did your candidates create the STAR for you?

By the end of the interview you should be able to assess:

• whether the applicant has the knowledge required to do the job based on answers to technical questions or examples of previous work
• whether the applicant is able to do the job by asking questions related to the applicant’s results and achievements in previous positions
• reasons for any gaps in work history
• the applicant’s strengths and weaknesses, including how the applicant has dealt with any mentioned weakness.

Using a candidate evaluation sheet makes the decision easier for the panel and you can have a discussion on the merits of each candidate using real examples. You have the opportunity to discuss more than opinion and feeling if you have the right questions and a valid method of evaluating each candidate. It allows each member to negotiate to the desired outcome of selecting the appropriate candidate.