Pre-Interview Preparations

12 Pages 2884 Words

What preparation needs to be done before the interview?


For starters, pre-interview preparations should actually begin with determining the type of job opening available within the company. In this scenario, the job opening is one of sales personnel. Hence, in this example, the Human Resource Manager of ABC Pharmaceutical would have conferred with the head of the department in which the position is open, i.e. the Sales Manager. Together, they would have firstly, discussed the job qualifications and the criteria for the “ideal” candidate, and secondly, made sure the job description accurately reflected the current job opening.

Once that is accomplished, the next few steps are crucial in determining the success and effectiveness of the ABC Pharmaceutical interview. This is also, where the main bulk of time is spent preparing and planning. There are several tasks the three interviewers can do beforehand to improve their chances of success.

The first is to follow a systematic approach starting with defining the objectives of the interview. With that in mind, the very first questions they should ask themselves before conducting the interview are “Why am I conducting this interview?” and “What do I want to achieve from it?”

A good second task is to, by reading all relevant applications and have available all necessary documentation including the job description and the personnel specifications. This means, to consult the five application forms, CVs, references, letter of applications, job specifications, and test results. By reviewing the five candidates’ application forms and/or resumes, the three interviewers of ABC can create, in their minds, a more complete picture of the applicants in terms of what is represented on the resumes and applications, and what the job requires.

From example, by doing research before the interview, the interviewers will then know enough about their candidates to ask intelligent...