Spotting Gaps

If there are gaps in a candidate's employment history, don't be afraid to ask about them. Remember that not all gaps are the result of involuntary unemployment. They may have occurred because of prolonged illness, travel, taking time off to have children or looking after ailing parents. Even those gaps that are the result of unemployment may not reflect badly on the candidates themselves.

Ask the candidates open-ended questions about any gaps and why they occurred. You may find that they were let go or left a job for good reasons (there's so much downsizing in the industry today it's difficult to find someone who hasn't been cut from a job!) During the interview, focus on how the candidate used the time between periods of paid employment.

Selecting Interviewees

Once you have evaluated the resumes, it's time to make a list of interviewees. One simple technique is to create a "matching sheet" for each candidate with a simple spreadsheet program. In one column or row list the job criteria in order from absolutely essential to desirable. Using either columns or rows (one per applicant), check off who appears to have which qualifications.

At the bottom of each applicant's column make short notes, which can become questions you may want to ask during the interview. Although this exercise can't make the actual decision for you, it will provide a set of comparative criteria by which you can assess candidates both individually and against each other.

The Shortlist of Candidates

Don't limit the interview list to only those candidates who fit the bill 100%. Include candidates who are a close fit and those with exceptional skills in specific areas you might not have considered initially.

Depending on the post you are trying to fill, it may be worth interviewing a couple of unconventional candidates. Sometimes, when a job requires making radical changes, the most suitable person might actually be someone who hasn't spent years in that position.

Choosing Interviewers

Unless you're hiring part-time testers, it's a pretty good bet that more than one or two people will need to interview the candidates. Depending on schedules and reporting structure, interviews might be conducted by teams rather than individuals.

If an employee will be working for more than one person, make sure that all those to whom the jobholder will be reporting get a chance to chat. (Just be careful not to overwhelm the candidate with too many people at one time!) Consider asking your own supervisors if they wish to attend, especially if the position is a key one on your team.

If the employee will be working closely with another department, include a representative in the interview schedule. In some companies, an HR person is required to attend all interviews.

Scheduling Interviews

If at all possible, schedule interviews with enough time in between to accommodate everyone's schedule. (If you're interviewing multiple candidates for the same position, it can be embarrassing to bump into their rivals outside the interview room.)

Just like a doctor's office, if one appointment runs over, the entire schedule may be imperiled and key individuals who need to talk to the candidate won't be able to, or the interview may be cut too short to be useful.

Even a little padding in the schedule will allow you to make notes after each interview -- which is a good thing, because hours of interviews tend to cause brain-blur. You also want to give the candidate (and the interviewers) a chance to attend to personal matters like going to the bathroom or grabbing a snack.

Candidates who are currently unemployed probably have more flexible schedules but those who are working may need to take time off from their current jobs or travel a considerable distance. Family obligations can limit availability as well. Bear these in mind, and be as flexible as possible when scheduling interviews.

You may actually need to fly someone in for a visit; if so, make sure your HR department does what it can to accommodate their schedule without adversely affecting your overall hiring and project schedule.