Interviewing is a craft. You won't excel at it right away, but you can become quite skilled as your experience grows. There are many books and workshops that focus specifically on interviewing; if your job involves more than one or two interviews a year, invest in some training. At the very least, take an HR specialist or manager to lunch and ask for tips and suggestions. In general, in your interview you should do the following:

• Describe the actual job activities. Explain what a typical day in your department is like and what kinds of successes and challenges employees encounter.

• Describe the work environment. Is it collaborative or independent? Do people get individual recognition, or does the group sink or swim as one? Is there a lot of overtime, and what compensation is there, if any, for putting in extra hours?

• Ask a few questions that require simple, factual responses about information on the resume or job application. Watch for hesitancy in responding or for answers that don't match what's on paper.

• Ask the applicant for examples that demonstrate his or her abilities and skills in particular areas. If building relationships with prospective clients, ask the applicant to describe two or three similar experiences that relate to your circumstances.

• Press for specifics. If an applicant says “I like that kind of environment,” ask how it is similar to or differs from work environments the employee has experienced in the past. If the employee says he or she has done “something like that,” get details. Just how, exactly, was the applicant's previous experience “like” the requirements of the job?

• Listen for grandiose claims or statements that don't make sense. If in doubt, question. Again, press for specifics and ask for examples. Back-pedaling and convoluted explanations should raise the red flag about the candidate.

Keep your comments neutral and your thoughts to yourself. Unless you know without a doubt that this is the person you intend to hire, don't give the impression that this is the case. Likewise, don't imply that you're not hiring this person, either. No deal is a done deal until the hired candidate shows up for work. It's worth your while to remain open and positive with candidates who come in second or third. You may be able to go back to them when other jobs become available or if your first choice washes out for any reason. Some human resources experts estimate that as many as a third of new hires do not stay in their new jobs.

Maintaining Balance

The challenge for all managers is to balance the book and the story. The book — laws, regulations, policies — follows a strict structure. The story — personalities, work styles, potential — exists within and at the same time extends beyond the book. While it's crucial for you to go by the book as far as laws and company policies go, it's also essential for you to make decisions that are consistent with the story of your department (its needs). There has to be a happy medium between finding the best person to advance the interests of the company and to be a positive fit in the group.

This isn't to say that you should only hire people you like or that your employees must approve of new members to the team. Not all jobs require close interaction among employees. Use sound and rational judgment. It's more important for a computer programmer to know your company's network and applications inside and out than to be able to discuss the political environment in the Middle East. It might even be acceptable for this person to be a bit on the antisocial side — computers don't engage in dialogue — as long as he or she has the right skills and isn't toxic to others. You might not want to go for coffee with this employee, but he or she will make a positive contribution to your department or company.

Play It Safe

There are a lot of topics you cannot ask about in an interview. Among the obvious should be age and religion. Also high on the taboo list are birthplace, marital status, children, sexual orientation, or anything that might allow you (intentionally or unintentionally) to make a judgment based on class, background, lifestyle, or other factors not related to the job's requirements. Be sure you discuss all of these factors with your HR representative and understand, fully and completely, your legal obligations. Failing to do so can have serious consequences for you personally as well as for your company.

If the employment process truly were as simple as following all the laws and rules, there would be no need for employment attorneys. But employment law is a growing field, which tells us that laws and policies aren't enough. Jobs are about more than skill sets. Jobs are about the people who fill them, no matter how much companies might want to diminish that factor.

Concluding the Interview

When it's time to conclude the job interview, let the candidate know what to expect — when he or she might next hear from you, your timeline for filling the position, and whether to anticipate another round of interviews. Some managers like to ask the person for any final thoughts or questions. A few are ready to extend a job offer or decline the candidate at the conclusion of the interview, though most prefer to assess all the candidates a final time before making any decisions. It is especially difficult to say, “Thanks, but no” in person to someone who hopes to get the job.

Reference Checks

No matter how good a candidate appears on paper and in an interview, an important final step in the hiring process is to check references. Many companies have waiver forms for prospective employees to sign that grant permission to contact references. Most references, especially former employers, will not even confirm employment without such a form. When contacting references, focus on verifying the facts the candidate put on the job application. Ask the reference source to provide details: “When did Stacy work for you, and what positions did she hold?”

Question discrepancies with care; this is often a road worth traveling only when the candidate is at the top of your list. Listen for carefully worded responses. Sometimes you learn more from what people don't tell you. As during your interview with the applicant, refrain from asking personal or lifestyle questions such as those about marital status, health concerns, or children. Not only is this information none of your business; it's also against the law to consider such factors when making job or promotion decisions.