How to Interview Candidates When You're Not a Hiring Expert
Let’s be honest: Many of the people responsible for interviewing candidates aren’t hiring experts. They’re business owners, department managers, or supervisors who know their business and their team, but may not interview candidates very often.
And that’s okay. You don’t need to be a professional recruiter to conduct a good interview. But you do need to be prepared.
A thoughtful, consistent interview process helps you gather the information you need to make a better hiring decision while creating a fair and professional experience for every candidate.
Start by Understanding the Job
Before you start thinking about interview questions, make sure you understand what you’re actually hiring someone to do.
Review the job description and identify the position’s primary responsibilities, required skills, and expected outcomes.
Separate the true must-haves from the nice-to-haves. Some skills may be essential on day one, while others can reasonably be learned on the job.
If you don’t work closely with the position yourself, talk with someone who does.
Understanding what the day-to-day work really looks like will help you ask better questions and recognize stronger answers.
Build Your Questions Before the Interview
Going into an interview with a few questions in your head and hoping the conversation flows naturally can make it difficult to evaluate candidates consistently.
Instead, create a core set of questions you’ll ask each candidate.
Start with the job description and focus on the qualifications, experience, and behaviors that matter most for success in the role. Then use a mix of questions to get a fuller picture of the candidate.
For example:
Experience-based: “Tell me about a time you…”
Situational: “How would you handle…?”
Role-specific: Questions about the actual tasks, responsibilities, systems, or tools involved in the job.
Motivation: “What interests you about this position?”
You don’t have to read from a script word-for-word, but having a consistent framework makes it much easier to compare candidates fairly.
Don’t Be Afraid to Dig Deeper
A candidate’s first answer doesn’t always tell you everything you need to know. If an answer is vague, ask a follow-up:
“What was your specific role?”
“What steps did you take?”
“What was the outcome?”
These questions are especially helpful when something gives you pause. An inconsistent answer, difficulty explaining their contribution to a project, or repeatedly blaming former employers or coworkers may be worth exploring, but one comment shouldn’t automatically determine your opinion of a candidate.
Ask more questions. Look for patterns. Get enough information before reaching a conclusion.
Remember: The Candidate Is Interviewing You, Too
Leave time for the candidate to ask questions. Their questions can tell you a lot about what matters to them, but your answers also shape their impression of your organization.
Be transparent. If you don’t know the answer to something, don’t guess. Tell them you’ll find out and follow up and then make sure you do.
That small step demonstrates respect, builds trust, and says a lot about how your organization communicates with its employees.
Take Good Notes, But Keep Them Job-Related
Good notes are an important part of a consistent interview process. If possible, consider having a colleague join the interview and take notes so you can stay focused on the conversation. Document the candidate’s responses, examples, experience, and other information relevant to the job.
Avoid recording personal observations about a candidate’s age, appearance, physical condition, family situation, or other personal characteristics. Your notes should help explain why someone did or did not meet the requirements of the position and not capture personal impressions unrelated to the job.
Make the Decision Based on Evidence, Not Just Instinct
It’s easy to walk out of an interview thinking, “I really liked them.” But liking someone and having evidence that they can succeed in the role are two different things.
Evaluate each candidate against the actual requirements of the position. Look at the examples they provided, the experience they demonstrated, and the patterns you saw throughout the conversation.
Before wrapping up, explain what happens next, including the expected timeline and how candidates will hear from you. Even candidates you don’t ultimately hire should leave with the impression that your organization has a thoughtful, professional process.
A structured interview doesn’t have to feel stiff or overly formal. It simply gives you a better framework for making good decisions, treating candidates consistently, and reducing unnecessary risk.
You Don’t Have to Handle Recruiting Alone
Finding the right person takes more than posting a job and scheduling a few interviews. From defining the role and screening applicants to developing interview questions and evaluating candidates, having experienced recruiting support can make the entire process easier, and help you feel more confident in your hiring decisions.
Employers Advantage can help. Whether you need support with one hard-to-fill position or want a more consistent recruiting process across your organization, our team can provide the expertise and hands-on support you need to find the right fit.
Ready to take some of the guesswork out of hiring? Contact Employers Advantage to learn more about our recruiting support. How do you interview candidates effectively?
To interview candidates effectively, start by understanding the position, prepare a consistent set of job-related questions, ask follow-up questions when necessary, take objective notes, and evaluate each candidate against the actual requirements of the role.
Here are some questions we get asked about the hiring process: What questions should you ask a job candidate?
Interview questions should focus on the candidate's relevant experience, skills, past behavior, approach to realistic job situations, and interest in the position. Using a consistent core set of questions also makes it easier to compare candidates fairly.
How should a manager prepare for an interview?
Managers should review the job description, identify the position's must-have qualifications, prepare interview questions in advance, and understand what successful performance in the role actually looks like.
What should employers include in interview notes?
Interview notes should document job-related information such as the candidate's responses, relevant experience, examples, skills, and qualifications. Avoid unnecessary observations about personal characteristics or information unrelated to the position.
Should every candidate be asked the same interview questions?
Using the same core questions for candidates interviewing for the same position can create a more consistent process and make comparisons easier. Managers can still ask appropriate follow-up questions based on individual responses.
How can recruiting support help a small business?
Recruiting support can help small businesses define roles, develop job postings, screen applicants, prepare interview questions, evaluate candidates, and create a more consistent hiring process.
