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Conducting an Effective Interview: 8 Tips

An effective interview delves beyond a candidate’s resume into assessing their cultural fit, attitude, and overall potential. Whether you’re an experienced hiring manager or just beginning in recruitment, mastering the interview process is crucial. It can mean the difference between successfully securing top talent and letting great candidates slip away.

Here are eight tips to make the most of every interview!


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1. Always Come Prepared

Even if you are working with a standardized set of questions for the role, you will be most effective if you know what you want to discover during the interview. Before you meet with the candidate, review their resume, cover letter, and portfolio. Notice the gaps you want to fill and identify what you need to know about this applicant to make an informed decision.

Reviewing past or current top performers for the role in question can help you be in the right mindset to identify the best candidates. Identify what they have in common, from soft skills to experience. Knowing what makes an employee excel at the role will help you identify great candidates during the interview.

2. Reduce Stress with a Welcoming Tone

Interviews are nerve-wracking. Even the most qualified and experienced candidates face unknowns when meeting an interviewer. You will get a better level of response from a comfortable applicant than a tense one.

Ease the candidate in with lighter conversation. Welcome the candidates and give them time to get comfortable in the environment. If they relax, you’ll get more thoughtful and genuine responses during the interview.

If you’re meeting in person, include details of the company’s dress code in the interview invitation. This information avoids the awkwardness of being under or over-dressed.



3. Pick Co-Decision Makers Carefully

Managers or team members who work directly with a position can be valuable during the interview process. You want helpful input, but too many decision-makers muddy the water.

Two to three interviews are sufficient for most jobs. Consider panel interviews for C-suite executives or high-profile positions involving more decision-makers.

This streamlining avoids overwhelming the candidate or dragging the hiring process out too long. It also means that significant decision-makers will have the same information about the candidate, giving everyone common ground for a decision.

4. Consider Soft Skills and Potential

While technical skills and relevant experience are foundational to success in many roles, an effective interview also considers soft skills and growth potential. Communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving skills determine how effectively the applicant will collaborate and manage conflict.

You want a candidate who fits the current role, but taking a long-term view that accounts for drive, adaptability, and a learning mindset can lead to loyal, long-term employees who grow alongside the company.

To gauge soft skills and potential, include questions about times they’ve had to adapt to change, collaborate on a challenging project, or learn a new skill on the job.

5. Include Behavioral or Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended and behavioral questions offer deeper insight into a candidate’s personality and thought process. Instead of questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” pose open-ended questions. Instead of asking, “Do you have experience with project management?” you might ask, “Tell me about a project you managed that was particularly challenging. What were the challenges, and how did you overcome them?”

The most effective interview questions elicit real situations and experiences. If you’re unsure what to ask, go back to your job description or talk with the position’s manager or past top performers to identify specific challenges the person may face.

6. Listen and Give Them Your Attention

Active listening is a powerful tool that puts people at ease, builds trust, and encourages additional information. This is your opportunity to observe the candidate. Notice their facial expressions, body language, and tone. Feel free to ask a follow-up question or repeat a key phrase from what they just said if something sparks your curiosity or seems out of place.

A second part of listening is creating opportunities for the candidate to ask questions. This helps them clarify their understanding while giving you insights into what’s important to them.

7. Consider Cultural Fit, with Room to Adapt

Cultural fit is important. You want someone who aligns with your company’s values and will engage in teamwork and projects in ways that enhance productivity and boost or maintain morale. However, it’s also good to remember that people adapt.

New research identifies two components of cultural fit. The first is a candidate’s values, which must align for mutual happiness and long-term retention.

The second component is “perceptual fit,” which includes a candidate’s ability to observe the company culture and adapt. According to the study, values impact retention, while perceptual fit has a more significant impact on performance.

If a candidate’s values align and they can learn and adapt, you don’t need to overthink the cultural fit.

8. Sell the Company and the Position

Don’t open an interview by selling the company and the position. The first interview or the first part of an interview should focus on the candidate, their qualifications, and their experience.

However, if the applicant seems like a good prospect, it’s worth letting them in on the advantages of working for your organization. Co-workers can be effective promoters. If you like the candidate, ask them if there is anyone on the team they’d like to meet.


READ NEXT: 5 Benefits of In-Person Interviews (for Managers & Candidates!)


An Effective Interview Facilitates Great Hires

An effective interview combines preparation, active listening, and genuine engagement. After all, the goal is not just to fill a position but to find someone who will contribute to your company’s growth and success.

If you are facing challenges finding top talent in the current job market, we can help. From placing hard-to-find experts to assembling talented teams, we have the employee network and recruitment expertise to get it done. Connect with us today to find out more.

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