Although it is difficult to imagine hiring an employee without an interview process, recent research has indicated that, in terms of predicting the new hire’s future success in a job, one-to-one interviews rank only slightly higher than random selection.

And as it can cost up to 40 percent of annual salary to recruit a member of staff, getting it wrong can be a costly business. All of the extras add up – if you choose the wrong person, then not only will you incur the cost of training them, but you may also lose business and ultimately may have to face the recruitment process all over again.

Despite this, the fact remains that interviewing alone is the primary means of selection for the majority of companies. Even if you do institute other selection processes, such as aptitude testing, it is extremely likely that your company will still want to continue with interviewing as at least one of the means of choosing new recruits.

Making interviews effective is a holistic process that starts with placing the right advertisement or development a clear job specification – attracting the correct type of candidate can save valuable time in the long run.
 
Once applications are received, set aside a certain amount of time to conduct the interviews. This will ensure that you assess applicants quickly, rather than dragging the process out over a period of weeks.
 
It can be a good idea to have a stock of relevant questions that you will ask each applicant; print them out and leave space to make notes on each candidate's response. This makes it easier to judge applicants against each other. As well as these essential questions, prepare beforehand so that you have specific questions for each individual, using information garnered from their CV.
 
Don't make snap decisions about an applicant. So shaking hands with them was like squeezing a newborn mouse - it doesn't mean that they can't do the job. Put aside your idea of the model candidate, as judged by rigid skills patterns such as 6 years UNIX experience or a 1.1 degree in economics. You know the key competencies (including soft skills) that the job requires – your task is to discover which applicant has the best combination of them.

Too often, interviewers talk too much and fail to find out crucial candidate information. The garrulous interviewer can also give away clues to the 'desirable' answer and end up being given what they want to hear. Instead, ask probing questions that test motivation, attitude and initiative.

Although it is important not to twitter on too much, bear in mind that you want to give the candidate a good impression of the company. If you do decide to make an offer to your chosen candidate, you will want him/her to accept it. Tell them about your company's record, what bonus/share schemes are available and any other perks that your employees benefit from. Do be honest and make sure that the candidate knows exactly what is expected of. Disney World, for example, has strict policies as regards its cast members' appearance and attitude. All applicants are told in the first instance what will be expected of them if they are successful. Many walk from Mickey's Mansion in disgust, but at least this ensures that unsuitable candidates are immediately weeded out.

Once the interviews are completed, then make sure that you get back to your chosen candidate as quickly as possible. Otherwise, they may accept an offer from another company….