Arm yourself with best practices for conducting high-impact interviews

Most hiring managers have a general idea about how to conduct an interview. The exercise, however, can be made more streamlined by following these 20 best practices that we have identified for you to conduct effective interviews:

Create a Positive Candidate Experience

Establishing a positive and comfortable atmosphere is crucial for a successful interview, as it sets the tone for the entire conversation.

1. Frame questions that are linked to the organisational leadership framework and role requirements, in advance.

2. Welcome the candidate and establish rapport to put them at ease.

3. Explain the format of the interview (structure, process and outcomes).

4. Make the candidate aware of how the discussion is being recorded.

Elicit Useful Information

The quality of information gathered during an interview is key to making informed hiring decisions, and this relies on asking the right questions and listening effectively.

5. Ask open-ended questions (e.g. what, where, why, how) for descriptive responses.

6. Ask questions that draw behavioural evidence for specific criteria.

7. Listen and look attentive, allowing the candidate time to think and speak.

8. Demonstrate active listening, and not selective.

9. Probe deeper and clarify, to understand behaviours displayed.

10. Show positive body language (e.g. leaning forward, nodding, eye contact).

Follow a structured approach

A structured interview process ensures consistency, fairness, and thoroughness, helping interviewers stay focused and organised.

11. Maintain process control by redirecting the candidate if they go off-track.

12. Make detailed notes throughout the interview.

13. Avoid interruptions, such as phone calls or emails.

14. Give opportunity to the candidate to ask questions at the end.

15. Thank the candidate for their time.

16. Let the candidate know what to expect next and when.

Evaluate the Candidate

Post-interview evaluation is essential for objectively analysing the candidate’s responses and aligning them with the role’s requirements.

17. Read notes immediately after the interview to fill in any gaps.

18. Use a rating scale to assess the data elicited.

19. Use only the data for assessment and not any other factors.

20. Complete the ratings in terms of the criteria being assessed.

By following these best practices, you can conduct interviews that not only uncover the most suitable candidates but also enhance the overall hiring process, leading to better, more informed decisions.