Informal interview

Holding a formal interview may not be appropriate for some roles in your organisation. In this case, a simple conversation with the candidate can be part of a robust safer recruitment process.

You should ensure the process is fair and informative by preparing questions in advance with the other people involved in the recruitment process. Make sure you give the person opportunity to demonstrate how they fulfil the role profile and to ask any questions they have about becoming involved.​ 

Consider the environment in which you will have your conversation. Accessibility is just as necessary in informal as formal situations e.g. If you are meeting in a café, is there a quiet corner you could reserve so that you and the person you are talking to can focus well? This is particularly important if either of you has a hearing impairment that is affected by background noise. If you are talking after a church service or community group meeting, are both of you sufficiently free of distractions (not also looking after children, being greeted by other friends) to give your best to the conversation?

Recording the answers

You should consider how to record the person’s answers. You will need a record to share with the other people involved in the recruitment process. It will either help make a fair decision, if there are more people expressing interest than roles available, or to ensure that the person who wishes to volunteer meets the suitability criteria.

If, on speaking to the person, you decide they are not suited to the role then they should be redirected to another opportunity to serve, even if there is nobody else to take on the role. This can seem daunting; volunteers are often desperately needed, and you risk disappointing the person. However, an unsuitable appointment will cause more difficulty in the long run than not recruiting at all.