How to conduct an interview in 2024: A comprehensive guide for successful hiring
Conducting a job interview is a crucial part of hiring, allowing managers to learn more about a candidate and determine if they are a good fit for their company. In this article, we look at everything you need to know about interviewing in 2023.
Hiring the right candidates is pivotal to ensuring your workforce has the skills and experience required to hit key objectives. As a result, hiring teams are under pressure to recruit top-tier candidates, which means interviewing is key.
That’s why we’ve decided to delve into how to conduct a job interview as an employer, looking at the techniques and processes you can implement to find candidates with the skills you need.
What is the purpose of a job interview?
Interviews are an opportunity to gain a better appreciation of an applicant’s skills and experience. Using various interview techniques and formats, talent professionals can understand if a candidate:
- Has qualifications that make them well suited to the role
- Has experience that will help them transition into the role
- Possess relevant transferable skills
In addition to assessing their suitability, interviews can be used to explain to the candidate more about your company’s culture and values, helping them to decide if they align with their own.
By discussing the working environment and role expectations throughout the interview process, and giving candidates a chance to ask questions, you can also establish trust and enhance your employer branding.
Different types of job interview
There are several interview formats to choose from. So, at the outset of the hiring process, you need to determine which one will help you secure the right candidates.
Competency-based interviews
A competency-based interview is designed to gauge whether candidates have the skills required to succeed in the role. Using competency-based interview questions, you can explore the candidate’s knowledge and experience and unlock a range of benefits, including:
- Enhanced objectivity
- Reduced bias
- Better retention
- Improved employer branding
Video interviews
With remote and hybrid working now established norms, video interviewing has become increasingly popular. This format allows recruiters to conduct interviews from the comfort of their own homes and screen candidates before inviting them to a face-to-face meeting.
Panel interviews
Panel interviews allow recruiters to gain a broader perspective of a candidate’s suitability for a role. While traditional interviews allow for intimate discussions, they can be time-consuming. Panel interviews save time and offer objectivity by reducing personal interaction and allowing multiple stakeholders to question a candidate.
Preparing for an interview
Being unprepared for interviews can result in costly mistakes, such as hiring someone unsuited to a role or missing out on an ideal candidate.
A well-organised interview can give you a fuller picture of a candidate’s capabilities, reduce bias and create a more positive candidate experience. For example, before the interview begins, you should be clear about who will be asking the questions and if someone else will be present to take notes and ask the candidate for more clarity.
Let’s look at some additional steps you can take to ensure you conduct an effective interview.
Understand the requirements of the role
Having a comprehensive understanding of the role you’re recruiting for is essential. That means being aware of the responsibilities of the position and what you’re looking for in a candidate.
A thorough review of the job advert and job description can help determine the key competencies and skills you want from a successful candidate and drive a smooth and efficient interview.
Review applications and CVs
Interviews are an opportunity to learn things about a candidate you don’t already know, not to ask them to repeat information they’ve provided in their application, CV or cover letter. As a result, you should review the candidate’s CV and any other information they have provided and identify areas you feel need clarification.
Consider the best interview questions
Before the interview begins, sketch out the questions you want to ask. This can involve crafting a mix of close-ended and open-ended questions to pose to candidates to ensure you can obtain a full picture of their skills and experience.
If you’re taking a competency-based interview approach, you can use key competencies to build out targeted questions.
Conducting the interview
Once the preparation is complete, the next stage is conducting the interview. Whilst no two interviews are the same, there are steps you can take to ensure a smooth process and a positive candidate experience.
1. Consider the interview environment
If the interview is face-to-face, book a meeting room in advance. If you’re conducting a virtual interview, find a quiet area away from distractions. Checking any equipment you need is ready to use ahead of the interview is also highly recommended, as faulty technology can lead to an unproductive interview.
2. Establish trust with the interviewee
Putting the applicant at ease contributes to a productive interview. A warm greeting, making eye contact and briefly discussing a non-work-related topic can break the ice and quickly establish rapport.
If more than one person is conducting the interview, explain why. For example, one is there to ask questions and the other to take notes.
3. Talk about the company and the job role
It’s always useful to give job candidates some context on the company and role. Doing so will help them understand how they will fit into the organisation’s broader objectives and the specific responsibilities of their role.
4. Discuss the candidate’s career ambitions
Getting the candidate to outline their career goals will give you an insight into their motivations. It will also help gauge their suitability for the role and if it fits with their own goals for professional development and progression.
5. Ask questions specific to core competencies
As well as running through general questions, you should also ask questions specifically related to the role. This is where you can rely on the questions you’ve put together in preparation for the interview, but don’t be afraid to delve deeper into the candidate’s skills and experience.
6. Get clarity with follow-up questions
If you don’t get the type of response you expect to hear or need more detail from the interviewee, utilise follow-ups to get them to expand on their answer. For example, you might ask them to be more specific or describe the results of an action they’ve taken.
7. Invite the candidate to ask questions
Before the interview ends, it is best practice to allow candidates to ask their own questions about the role and the company. Be prepared to answer questions about the hiring process and stay on the lookout for questions that demonstrate a candidate’s enthusiasm.
8. Outline the next stage
Conclude the interview by setting the candidates’ expectations for the remainder of the hiring process. Let them know what additional steps they should expect, such as a task or second interview, and be transparent regarding the timeline of your decision-making.
9. Evaluate candidate performance
Once the interview is complete, it’s time to review the candidate’s performance and decide if you want to carry on with the recruitment process. To help you make the right decision, you should establish an objective scoring system to evaluate candidate performance and their compatibility with your values and culture.
After the interview
Following an interview, remember to always provide feedback, even if the candidate is unsuccessful. Try and be specific, highlighting their accomplishments and providing suggestions for development. Timely feedback demonstrates professionalism and respect for a candidate’s time, both of which contribute positively to your employer branding efforts.
If the candidate has been successful, be sure to provide them with relevant feedback from their interview once you proceed with a job offer. Once the candidate has accepted, be sure to maintain regular contact before their start date, providing relevant information regarding the onboarding process.