Interview training opens doors

This is a guest blog by Alecia Kissel, HR and recruiting intern at Milliner & Associates, LLC in Indianapolis. 

My third and final semester as an intern at Milliner & Associates has been a whirlwind.

The first two weeks I spent shadowing interviews with the Recruiting Manager and Recruiting Specialist to get a firmer grasp on the language we use and expectations we set in that short thirty minutes. Three weeks ago, I conducted my first interview. It was nerve wracking, don’t get me wrong, but now I thoroughly enjoy interviewing and all that comes with it.

I am not sure if I was nervous because of the person sitting across from me or the person shadowing me. Having colleagues and my boss shadow my interviews in the first couple of weeks added some extra pressure. However, I knew I needed to hear their feedback. They’re professionals, been there done that.

I learned that conducting interviews follows a similar format as giving a speech: introduction, body and conclusion. The interview begins by me setting expectations and explaining our role in the candidates’ job searches. The meat of the interview is when the candidates paint a picture for me of what they can do and what they want to do. When I have all the information I need, I wrap up by letting candidates know the next steps and thank them for coming in. My superiors in the office gave me great advice regarding the format of the interview and what questions will dig deeper into the candidates’ backgrounds. The nerves are gone and I step into the interview room like I have been doing this for years.

After the interviews are over, I write a short bio for the candidates I believe we would be able to place with one of our clients. Normally, Milliner & Associates waits until there is a job for the candidate, but it is a part of the learning process for me since I am getting as much of the recruiting experience as possible. Writing the bios gives me a chance to really highlight candidates’ strengths and what I like about them. It reminded me of why I and others in the staffing industry do what we do: to help others help themselves.

I am at my absolute best when I give my time to others. Interviewing and writing bios is an indirect way of doing that while I am at work. Not only do I get to grow as a professional and I discover what I enjoy at work, but also I get paid to help people. That is surreal.