Interviewing

An interview helps both the employer and the candidate decide whether the role is the right fit. Run consistently and fairly, it reveals a candidate's skills, attitude and likely fit with the team. 

Set up the interview 

One-on-one interviews suit casual or entry-level roles and help build rapport in a relaxed setting. Panel interviews suit senior positions and support balanced decisions. Keep notes and use a consistent, fair process for every applicant — this meets equal employment obligations and helps identify the best candidate. 

What to assess 

The interview helps assess whether the candidate: 

• has the skills and knowledge to do the job, 
• will fit with the farm's culture and team, 
• has the work ethic and attitude needed, and 
• is likely to add long-term value to the business. 

Prepare the questions 

Prepare questions in advance so every candidate is assessed fairly and consistently. Effective questions are based on the position description, clear and easy to understand, logically ordered, mostly open-ended, asked consistently across candidates, and focused on past job-related behaviour. 

Ask open-ended questions 

Open questions starting with who, what, when, where, why and how encourage discussion, as do prompts like 'tell me what you think is most important'. Where possible, reframe closed questions as open ones: 

Closed question	Open-ended question
Do you know anything about our farm?	Can you tell us what you know about our farm?
Did you perform well in your last role?	What feedback did you receive, and can you give an example?
Can you work under pressure?	Describe a time you worked under pressure or met a tight deadline.
Do you manage your time well?	How do you organise and manage your day?

Behavioural interviewing 

Behavioural interviewing is based on the idea that past behaviour is the best predictor of future performance. Ask candidates to describe real situations, and look for a clear account of the situation or task, the action they took, and the result. If a candidate speaks in terms of 'we', ask follow-up questions to clarify their personal role. 

Example behavioural questions: 

• Tell me about a time you introduced a change or improvement in your role. 
• Describe a situation where you identified and addressed a problem others had missed. 
• Tell me about a stressful situation you managed.
• Describe a time you disagreed with someone at work and how you handled it.