Interview Structure
Greeting/Rapport Building
- The interview will proceed more smoothly and be more productive if the candidate and the interviewer are at ease. Spend a few minutes “breaking the ice.”
- Talk about the weather, ask if they found the building okay, or had trouble parking. Keep the topics very general.
- Tell them the structure of the interview, give them an interview schedule if they are interviewing with several people throughout the day, and introduce the members of the interviewing committee.
Information Gathering
- Ask questions to obtain factual and objective information about the applicant’s qualifications, experience, and interest in the job. See section on Standard Interview Questions for sample questions.
Information Giving
- Describe the duties and responsibilities of the position. Talk about the organizational structure, expectations of the job, and the culture of the department and university.
- Give general information about the department, university, benefits and salary (if appropriate). Interview packets are available from HR containing general information about Grand Valley and the surrounding area.
- You can refer applicants to the Human Resources website for detailed information on policies and benefits.
Applicant's Questions
- Give the applicant time to ask questions and respond appropriately.
Summary/Closing
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Make any summary statements and tell the applicant about the next steps in the hiring process. End on a cordial note by thanking the applicant for their time.