How to be a Great Interviewer – A Guide by T2M

Interviewing is a two-way street, while you’re focused on finding the right candidate for the role. The people you’re interviewing are forming their perception of your company. In today’s market, many candidates will have multiple interviews lined up, giving them more opportunities to be selective about the interviews and jobs they go for.

So, a well-conducted interview is not only crucial in finding the right candidate for the job, but also crucial for making sure your preferred candidates want to work for you.

A great interviewer creates a positive, structured, and insightful conversation that allows both parties to determine the right fit.

Here are some essential tips for improving your interview skills and ensuring a smooth hiring process:

Prepare Thoroughly Before the Interview

Preparation is key to running an effective interview. Here’s how to get ready:

• Understand the Role: Review the job description carefully to align your questions with the core responsibilities and required skills. Put yourselves in the candidates’ shoes and take the time to understand the job description that they would’ve read before they applied.

• Research the Candidate: Read through the candidate’s resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile to tailor your questions and focus on relevant aspects of their experience.

• Plan Your Questions in Advance: Structure your interview to include a mix of behavioural, situational, and technical questions to gain a well-rounded understanding of the candidate’s qualifications, experience and knowledge.

Create a Comfortable and Professional Atmosphere

The interview experience can be stressful for candidates. Setting the right tone can encourage more authentic responses.

• Start with a Warm Welcome: Greet candidates professionally and offer a brief overview of the interview process to set expectations.

• Minimise Distractions: Choose a quiet, comfortable and private setting (whether in-person or virtual) to help both you and the candidate focus entirely on the interview at hand.

• Encourage Open Communication: Show that you’re engaged and listening by maintaining eye contact, nodding, and responding thoughtfully to their answers.

Ask the Right Questions

The best interviews go beyond a candidate’s resume and allow you to evaluate their problem-solving abilities, work ethic, and cultural fit.

• Use Open-Ended Questions: Instead of asking yes/no questions, prompt candidates to elaborate. For example, “Can you describe a time when you had to handle a difficult project?”

• Include Behavioural and Situational Questions: These help gauge how a candidate has responded to challenges in the past and how they might react in the future.

• Stay Consistent: Asking similar core questions to all candidates ensures a fair and structured interview process.

Actively Listen and Take Notes

Great interviewers don’t just ask questions—they actively listen and engage with the candidate’s responses.

• Avoid Interrupting: Give candidates the space to fully express their thoughts before moving on to the next question.

• Take Notes Strategically: Jot down key points to reference later while ensuring the interview remains conversational.

• Follow Up on Interesting Points: If a candidate shares something compelling, ask follow-up questions to dive deeper into their experiences.

Be Aware of Unconscious Bias

Unconscious bias can affect hiring decisions. To ensure fairness:

• Focus on Skills and Experience: Evaluate candidates based on their qualifications rather than personal preferences.

• Consider using a Standardised Evaluation Form: Creating a structured scoring system can help reduce bias and ensure objective decision-making.

• Get a Second Opinion: If possible, involve another interviewer or panel to gain multiple perspectives on a candidate’s suitability.

• Consider working with a recruitment agency, having a third party that is external to your business who vets candidates prior to their interview, and can provide their opinion to the hiring manager can also be a useful perspective to consider.

Allow Candidates to Ask Questions

Interviews are a two-way process. Encouraging candidates to ask questions gives them insight into the role and your company.

• Be Transparent: Provide honest and clear answers about company culture, expectations, and growth opportunities.

• Gauge Their Interest: A candidate’s questions can indicate their enthusiasm for the role and their alignment with company values.

Conclude the Interview Professionally

Ending the interview on a positive note leaves a lasting impression and ensures clarity for both parties.

• Outline the Next Steps: Let the candidate know what to expect in terms of follow-ups and decision timelines.

• Express Appreciation: Thank them for their time and interest in the position.

Ensure you Follow-Up Post Interview

After the interview is finished, make sure you keep to the timeline you have provided on the next steps and follow up. This is important to do regardless of whether a candidate has been successful or not, if you’re not hiring a candidate this time, you never know where they might be in the future, and whether you will want them to work with you later down the line – so always leave a good impression of the company.

If a candidate has given up their time to interview for your company, it is respectful to follow up and provide them with feedback. While this might seem self-explanatory, many interviewers will ‘ghost’ candidates after an interview, which not only is disrespectful to a candidate’s time, but also shows you as an interviewer and the company you work for in a poor light.

Provide constructive feedback to the candidate – even if you don’t hire them, provide some feedback that will get the candidate to focus on how to improve their interview technique!

As the interviewer, be conscious that from the candidate’s perspective, you are representing the company brand and values, so it’s essential that you give a great impression!

Being a great interviewer requires preparation, strong communication skills, and a structured approach. By refining your interview techniques, you’ll not only find the best candidates but also enhance your company’s reputation as an employer of choice.