How to Be a Great Interviewer

You've likely spent a lot of time perfecting your CV to land interviews, but interviewing candidates is a different ball game that requires its own set of skills. Interviewing is not just about firing questions; it's about understanding the role, creating a comfortable environment, and making unbiased assessments. If you're looking to be an effective interviewer, this guide is for you. We’ll break down the essentials to help you master the art of interviewing.

Let’s dive into the first crucial step: preparation. Mastering these foundational elements will equip you to conduct efficient and insightful interviews.

1. Preparing for the Interview

1.1 Understanding the Role

To be an effective interviewer, you need a comprehensive understanding of the role you're hiring for. Research the job description and know the key responsibilities and requirements. Familiarising yourself with the position helps you ask specific questions that assess the candidate's fit.

Break down the job into skills, experience, and traits. What are the 'must-haves' and 'nice-to-haves'? Consulting with the team who currently performs similar roles can provide insights into daily tasks. This helps you gauge whether the candidate possesses the necessary competencies.

Pro-tip: Create a list of criteria for each candidate to measure against. This ensures a structured and fair evaluation process.

1.2 Crafting Thoughtful Questions

Your questions set the tone for the interview. Start with a mix of behavioural and situational queries. Behavioural questions look into past experiences, while situational ones gauge how the candidate would handle future scenarios.

Consider using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure these questions. This encourages detailed answers, letting you see how they’ve tackled challenges. Also, tailor questions to the role's specific needs and key responsibilities.

Pro-tip: Prepare a few deep-dive questions for the areas that matter most. This can help you unearth valuable insights into the candidate's capabilities.

1.3 Know the Candidate

Knowing who you're interviewing can significantly improve your efficiency. Review the candidate's CV and cover letter thoroughly. Look at their professional social media profiles like LinkedIn for additional context.

Highlight any interesting experiences in their CV. Use these as talking points. It makes the interview smoother and shows you respect their time and effort. This preparation helps you form a complete picture of the candidate’s professional journey.

1.4 Setting the Tone

First impressions matter. Begin the interview with a friendly introduction. Explain the process and set expectations for the time it will take. This approach helps ease the candidate’s nerves and creates a conversational atmosphere.

Encourage openness by being approachable and attentive. Make sure to provide a welcoming and quiet setting for both in-person and virtual interviews. Your demeanour can greatly influence the candidate’s comfort and willingness to share.

Pro-tip: Start with a non-technical question or a light conversation topic. This helps to relax the candidate and can lead to a more natural dialogue.

1.5 Run a Structured Interview

A structured interview ensures consistency and fairness. Have a clear plan that you follow for each candidate. This includes predetermined questions, a set time for each section, and a scoring system.

Using a structured approach allows you to compare candidates more effectively. You’ll have a standard benchmark based on critical job requirements. This mitigates personal biases and focuses on the candidate’s abilities.

Pro-tip: Use an interview guide or template. This ensures you cover all necessary points and don't miss any critical aspects of the evaluation.

1.6 Check Your Video Call Setup

In the era of remote work, having a smooth video call setup is indispensable. Test your technology beforehand to avoid disruptions. Make sure your camera, microphone, and internet connection are stable.

Choose a quiet and well-lit location. This ensures you and the candidate can see and hear each other clearly. Platforms like Evidenced have features to enhance your virtual interview setup, such as background blurring.

Pro-tip: Have a backup plan, like a phone number to call if tech fails. This guarantees the interview proceeds smoothly, maintaining professionalism.

Crafting these foundational elements will place you well on your way to conducting efficient and insightful interviews. Following these steps ensures you're prepared and sets the stage for a successful hiring process.

2. Conducting the Interview

2.1 Beginning with Open-Ended Questions

Starting an interview with open-ended questions sets the stage for a more relaxed and insightful conversation. These questions encourage candidates to share more detailed responses, giving you a better understanding of their experiences and thought processes. For example, you can ask, "Can you tell me about a challenging project you worked on?" or "What motivates you in your role?" These questions allow candidates to highlight their strengths and provide context about their background.

To make the most of open-ended questions, listen actively and follow up with probing questions if needed. This approach not only helps you gain deeper insights but also shows the candidate that you're genuinely interested in their responses. Use follow-up questions like, "How did you overcome that challenge?" or "Can you give an example of when your motivation led to a successful outcome?" This will help you uncover valuable details about the candidate's qualifications and fit for the role.

Pro-tip: Keep a list of go-to open-ended questions that align with the role you are hiring for. This ensures consistency and depth in the responses you obtain.

2.2 Listening Actively

Active listening is crucial in an interview setting. When you listen actively, you focus entirely on the candidate, which helps you catch important details and make a better assessment of their fit for the role. To listen actively, maintain eye contact, nod in agreement during responses, and avoid interrupting the candidate. Show that you are engaged by paraphrasing their answers and asking clarifying questions when necessary.

Another key to active listening is eliminating distractions. Ensure that your phone is on silent and that you are not checking emails or multitasking during the interview. Creating a quiet and focused environment will help you better understand the candidate's responses and build a rapport with them. After the interview, review your notes to ensure you captured all the critical points discussed.

Pro-tip: Use phrases like "I understand" or "That's interesting, can you tell me more about that?" to encourage candidates to elaborate on their responses.

2.3 Managing the Time

Effective time management during an interview ensures that you cover all the necessary topics and that the interview stays on track. Begin by allocating time slots for each section of the interview, such as introductions, candidate questions, and closing remarks. For instance, a 60-minute interview might include 10 minutes for introductions, 40 minutes for in-depth questions, and 10 minutes for the candidate to ask their questions.

Stick to your schedule by gently steering the conversation back on track if it starts to veer off course. Politely interject with phrases like, "I want to make sure we cover everything, so let's move on to the next question." Additionally, having a timer or clock visible can help you keep an eye on the time without being too obvious.

Pro-tip: Evidenced allows you to run structured interviews by default, giving each section timings, questions and assessment criteria as well as live timing during the interview.

2.4 Record and Transcribe the Interview

Recording and transcribing interviews using tools like Evidenced provides an accurate account of the conversation and helps in the evaluation process. Recording ensures that you don't miss any important details and can review the interview later for a more thorough assessment. Always inform the candidate beforehand and obtain their consent to record the interview to maintain transparency and legality.

Transcribing the interview helps you to quickly reference specific parts of the conversation and to share excerpts with other decision-makers. This is particularly useful when you need to compare different candidates' responses. Using Evidenced makes the transcription process quick and accurate, ensuring that nothing is lost in translation.

Pro-tip: Highlight key quotes and insights from the transcription to streamline the decision-making process and to easily reference during follow-up interviews.

2.5 Accurately Assess Their Skills

Accurately assessing a candidate's skills requires implementing structured assessments and practical tests. Tailor these assessments to the role's specific requirements. For example, if you are hiring a software developer, ask them to complete a coding challenge or problem-solving exercise. This will give you tangible evidence of their skills and how they approach tasks.

Additionally, involve other team members in the assessment process. Collaborative assessments provide diverse perspectives and help mitigate individual biases. For instance, having a technical lead join the interview can offer a more comprehensive evaluation of the candidate's technical competencies. This method ensures a holistic assessment of the candidate's abilities.

Pro-tip: Use a scoring rubric to document and standardise evaluations across all candidates. This practice helps ensure fairness and consistency in your assessment process.

2.6 Answer Their Questions

Allowing candidates to ask questions is a crucial part of the interview process. This segment not only provides them with a clearer understanding of the role and your company but also reveals their priorities and what they value in a job. Be prepared to answer questions about company values, team dynamics, career growth opportunities, and specific role responsibilities.

Be honest and transparent in your responses. If you don't know the answer to a question, it is better to acknowledge it and offer to find out rather than provide vague or inaccurate information. Being open and straightforward builds trust and demonstrates your company's commitment to transparency.

Pro-tip: Have a list of frequently asked questions and their answers ready. This preparation ensures you can provide thorough and consistent responses to common queries.

3. After the Interview

3.1 Providing Feedback

Offering feedback after an interview is crucial for candidate improvement and company reputation. Begin by providing specific examples from the interview to back up your feedback. This clarity helps candidates understand their strengths and areas for improvement. Be honest but delicate to ensure they leave with a positive impression of the process, even if they are not selected.

Additionally, tailor your feedback to be action-oriented. Instead of generic comments like "improve your technical skills," pinpoint exact skills or subjects they should focus on. For instance, suggesting courses or resources can be beneficial. This constructive approach shows that you value the candidate's growth and fosters a respectful dialogue.

Pro-tip: Use a feedback template to ensure all candidates receive comprehensive and fair evaluations.

3.2 Check Your Bias

Recognise that personal biases can inadvertently influence hiring decisions. To mitigate this, employ structured interviewing techniques where all candidates face the same set of questions. This standardisation helps focus on the skills and qualifications relevant to the role rather than personal impressions.

Utilise diverse interview panels to ensure a more comprehensive assessment and minimise bias. Have each panel member independently score candidates before discussing them as a group. This practice can reduce the chance of one person’s bias swaying the overall decision. Regular bias training for interviewers is another effective measure to ensure fairness.

3.3 Making a Decision

When deciding on a candidate, collaboration is key. Gather input from the entire interview panel to reach a consensus. Use a rating system to evaluate different aspects such as skills and experience. Making use of detailed interview notes can provide insights that guide this decision-making process.

Review recordings of the interview and look at key moments from the transcript to review candidates answers to question. Make your hiring decision in isolation before consulting with others to ensure you’re not biased by their opinion or assessment. Weighing these factors carefully can lead to a more holistic and satisfactory hiring decision.

Pro-tip: Evidenced automatically bookmarks when you ask a question, allowing you to quickly review a candidates answers.

3.4 Communicating the Outcome

Communicating the outcome of an interview should be done promptly and professionally. For selected candidates, provide detailed next steps, ensuring they understand the offer and any conditions attached. Clear communication helps keep them engaged and reduces the likelihood of them accepting another offer.

For those not selected, send a personalised message thanking them for their time and participation. If possible, offer concise feedback to help them in future applications. Keeping the communication polite and appreciative maintains a positive company image and leaves candidates with a good impression.

Pro-tip: Schedule follow-up calls with your top candidates to maintain their interest until the hiring process is completed.

3.5 Review Your Skills and See Where You Can Improve

Reflecting on your own performance as an interviewer is essential for ongoing improvement. Post-interview debriefs with your team help identify what went well and areas needing enhancement. Constructive criticism and self-assessment contribute to better interview techniques in the future.

Recording and reviewing your interviews can provide a practical way to assess your skills. Look for patterns in how you interact with candidates and take note of any repetitive mistakes. Continuous learning and adapting new strategies can make you a more effective and insightful interviewer.

Pro-tip: Engage in interviewer training sessions or workshops offered by HR professional bodies like CIPD to refine your skills.

Improving your interview skills and ensuring a fair process benefits candidates and your organisation alike. Regularly reviewing procedures helps maintain high standards and adapt to new challenges. By adopting these strategies, you foster an environment where qualified candidates are identified and enthusiastic about joining your team.