Interviews - agripeople.co.nz/blog/interviewing The interview is likely the most important conversation you will ever have with a potential Employer or Employee. It is the first chance to make a great first impression and to determine whether that person is the person you want to enter an Employment Relationship with and work alongside on farm. The interview is all about giving and gathering key information – how well this is executed could be the difference between the relationship progressing or not. Most importantly, it is about quantifying information; the skills, attributes, attitudes and working conditions needed by each party to assess if it will be the right fit for the people involved. Being prepared for an interview, for both the Employee and Employer, is critical to ensure all the required/desired information is obtained. The Interviewee [Employees/Contractors] Attending interviews can be daunting, but rather than fearing the interview process, approach it as an opportunity to grow and learn all you need to know about your potential future employer and their farm. Know your strengths and have examples to support these, if your CV claims you to be exceptional at Feed Budgeting then be prepared to respond to questions relating to how you would deal with feed shortages and or excesses. Realise the areas you can improve in (everyone has them) and talk about what you are doing to grow in these areas and how the position can complement that. Prepare examples of situations where you have had success and understand why this success occurred – understanding where and why disappointments in your career have occurred, and what you have done as a response to that is also helpful. How does the role fit in with your career path, your goals and future ambitions? Gather information on the Employer and their farming system – assure their farming philosophies fit in with your ideals and that they provide the type of farming business you want to be part of. Be prepared for more than just a formal interview – dress appropriately but ensure you are set to go over the farm also (think gumboots). The Interviewer – [Employers/Farm Owners] Although the focus is often on the Employee, interviews can be equally intimidating for prospective Employers also. Again, approach an interview with a positive attitude and view it as an opportunity to understand what qualities in an Employee are most important, highlight what you can offer a potential employee and how their farming career would be supported and developed working for your operation. Know the job “sell points” – why would someone want you as an Employer and the job you have on offer? why it is a place where the interviewee would want to work? What can they learn? how will their capabilities be developed? and what your working environment is like – remember, good applicants will be looking for the role that is the best match for their objectives, not necessarily the one with the highest remuneration package. Be realistic – that means including the good and the not so appealing aspects of the position. Provide accurate farm information to allow candidates to understand the bigger picture – what production is being targeted, what inputs are used and why. No one likes finding out they were told incorrect information on a role during the recruitment after they start! Draw up a plan for the interview. Use it for all the interviews held for that particular role. Try and keep good, but brief notes, and rate the appropriateness of each Candidates answer to your chosen questions – this saves times trying to recall important information later. Understand that comparisons between Applicants are inevitable, and recognise the importance of taking the same approach with all interviewees. Cover the same subjects with all of them, ask them the same questions in the same way and, as far as possible, keep the interview related to the job and the farm. It is likely that the same conditions will expose different outcomes and answers for each interviewee, which in turn, will show you who is most likely to fit the business and position best. Keep the interview location appropriate – try to use a tidy shed office or relatively neutral venue. If possible, get the applicants in their gumboots and out on farm. Often, that is where the best questions are asked and answered. Who will be there? Will there be more than one interviewer? If so, plan their roles. Give each a specific task. This way, everyone plays a part and there is not one interviewer and a number of note-taking spectators. Prepare interview questions that explore how well an applicant meets the job’s requirements. Ensure the questions used are open — which usually begin with “How, Why, What or Describe”. These words open up questions and avoid one worded answers as they cannot be sensibly answered by a simple “Yes” or “No”. In other words, they get interviewees talking about themselves, their abilities and their experiences. Make the candidate comfortable – When people feel comfortable they are more likely to show their personality and answer questions in a way in which is a true reflection of them. Deliberately putting candidates under pressure is not going to achieve anything beneficial. Plan to listen. It is important for the Candidate to leave the interview understanding the farm and the role. But, don’t get caught in the trap of talking continuously about the farm and your own career path. Too many interviewers talk too much, and listen too little. Give the applicant time (and space) to consider your questions. Listen actively, acknowledging what the interviewee is saying. Plan to close the interview. Check if the applicant has more questions or information, summarise the discussion, thank the applicant for giving the time for the interview, and describe what will happen next. Keep control.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 08:07:23 +0000
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