Before interview/Selection Day

An interview panel must include at least 2 people although a 3 person panel is recommended.  All of the panel members should have completed NHSBT’s recruitment and selection online training

If you know, or are related to, one of the candidates you must alert your contact who will be able to advise you.  However, it’s fine to interview internal colleagues provided you are not involved in any outstanding HR processes relating to the internal candidate. Where internal colleagues are being interviewed, it is recommended that you consider inviting an independent panel member.

We adhere to Disability Confident criteria and offer reasonable adjustments to all job applicants who share that they have a disability and indicate that reasonable adjustments are required when booking their interview. If a candidate indicates that reasonable adjustments are required when booking their interview your recruitment contact will notify you of this request and will work with both the candidate and yourself to honour the request. If a candidate approaches you directly to request reasonable adjustments please contact your recruitment contact who will support you with the request.

Your recruitment contact will explain what documents your candidates have been asked to bring to interview and what you need to do with these. Your recruitment contact will inform internal candidates of what documents (if any) they need to provide after an offer has been made.

If you are recruiting for a Donor Carer, Team Assistant or Donor Centre Administrator, visit the Blood Donation Recruitment page.

Planning

The better prepared you are before your selection day, the more attention you will be able to give to your candidates. Things you can do to prepare:-

  1. Check that your panel are available and have copies of the interview pack and schedule. See the How to Access Your Interview Pack guidance document
  2. Book any rooms and equipment you require
  3. Meet with the panel members to write and allocate your interview questions. See the Top Tips document on Writing Interview Questions.
  4. Agree on the assessment criteria in the interview assessment form. Also available is an Interview assessment form with score calculator. Versions for band 8a and above are also available interview assessment form band 8a and above and interview assessment form with score calculator band 8a and above. A presentation assessment form and presentation assessment form with score calculator are also available. 
  5. Identify someone other than a panel member to complete any recruitment document checks and carry out any other selection methods (e.g. tour, test etc)
  6. Contact reception to make sure they are aware of your interviews and have a schedule for the day and know who to contact when candidates arrive. 

TIP : Sample interview questions are available. Your recruitment contact will be able to email you a copy on request.

All information relating to candidates must be kept secure and only shared where there is a genuine need.