Enhancing your interview: Making your interview process as detailed as possible

At first glance, conducting an interview can seem straightforward: introduce yourself and the company, make small talk, ask questions, and compare candidates. But how do you make sure your hiring process is as detailed as possible to ensure you always hire the perfect candidate?

Afterall, the cost of making the wrong hiring decision can be far greater than just a salary; training time, potential issues, and the cost of recruiting a replacement all add up. So, how do you ensure your hiring process is as detailed and effective as possible to avoid these costly mistakes? 

Here are our top tips on how to formulate questions and develop a robust interview process for your business.

Define the ideal candidate profile

Before you start searching for the perfect candidate, take time to thoroughly evaluate the role you're hiring for. Reflect on previous employees who have held this position and identify the key skills, knowledge, and traits that contributed to their success or challenges.

Make a list of these qualities and ensure that everyone involved with the selection process agrees that this is the criteria for evaluating candidates. Make sure you are looking at professional qualities and try to avoid seeking a candidate that will 'fit in' with the rest of the team on a personal level, this will broaden your candidate pool. Find out more about inclusive hiring from our Recruitment Inclusion Checklist.

Questions to ask candidates

Once you have shortlisted candidates based on your CVs, the next step is to develop a strong set of interview questions that allow candidates to demonstrate their skills and experience in your sector. 

There are several types of questions to consider:

• Fact-based or general questions: These questions often clarify information from the candidate's CV, such as asking why they’re interested in a particular role or why they want to work with your company.
  
  
• Situational or hypothetical questions: These ask candidates how they would handle specific situations. They help assess how candidates relate past experiences to your business needs, revealing their key skills and traits. 
  
  
• Stress questions: These are designed to place the candidate in a challenging scenario to see how they react under pressure. While not always necessary - particularly if their role doesn't require them to experience these situations - they can provide valuable insights into their stress management abilities.
  
  
• Competency-based questions: These questions ask candidates to provide real-life examples of how they handled specific situations, what decisions they made, and why. The goal is to assess their competencies through past actions.
  
  
• Behavioural questions: Based on the idea that past behavior predicts future performance, these questions ask candidates to share specific examples that demonstrate their skills. For example, instead of asking, "Do you have initiative?" you’d ask for an example of when they showed initiative.
  
  
• Technical questions: These are designed to assess the candidate's technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities in specific areas related to the role.

It is worth noting here that you must take care when asking some questions. It's important to avoid topics around race, religion, marital status, children, gender, and disabilities. The general rule is that if you are going to ask about any of these topics, you must ask every candidate you interview.

Additionally, be mindful that some questions may not be suitable for neurodivergent candidates, or may need to be adjusted for inclusivity. For more advice on inclusive recruitment practices, contact our Diversity Champions.

Example questions to ask during an interview 

Here are some common interview questions you can consider asking candidates: 

• Tell me about yourself... 
• What are your key strengths and weaknesses? 
• What interests you about this position and our company?
• Why do you want to leave your current job? 
• Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? 
• What have been the most significant achievements in your career so far?
• How do you handle conflict? 
• How do you perform under pressure? 
• How do you define success? 
• Why do you want to work here?
• How would you handle a situation where you have multiple urgent deadlines but limited resources?
• If you were given a task with an unrealistic deadline, how would you manage your time and communicate this to your team?
• Can you give an example of a time when you had to solve a complex problem? What steps did you take?
• Describe a situation where you had to make a decision without having all the information you needed. How did you proceed?
• Describe a situation in which you went above and beyond to help a colleague or client.

Structure the interview beforehand

Having a clear interview structure is essential for consistency and efficiency. We would advise that you set out the basic structure of how each interview should take place in advance, and stick to the format with each candidate. Generally, we would recommend interviews to follow a similar format to the below:

• Part one: introduction – Start by putting the candidate at ease with a few minutes of small talk and casual conversation. Ask some general or factual questions, and explain how the interview process is going to work.
• Part two: fact based questions – Use this time to review the candidate's CV in detail, gaining a deeper understanding of their skills, background and experience to date.
• Part three: technical/competency-based questions – This is where you analyse the candidate's ability to perform the role. Ask them to explain situations where they have used similar skills, and where they have used their skills to succeed in the past.
• Part four: scenario-based questions - Here you'll ask candidates to describe how they would handle specific situations, typically using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This encourages reflection on their experiences and helps you assess how they’ve learned and what they might do differently next time.
• Part four: wrap-up – Allow the candidate to ask any questions they have. At this point, interviewers should inform the candidate about the next steps in the process and when a decision will be made. Finish with formal goodbyes and assist them in navigating leaving the building, or simply leave the video call.

Implement a clear rating system

Inexperienced interviewers might be tempted to use the initial impressions that each interviewee gave them to compare candidates against each other, but this can be problematic. It's important to remember that the goal of the interview is to find the candidate who is most qualified for the job, not necessarily the person you 'click' with. Conversations should focus on assessing skills and abilities, not personal connections.

To ensure a fair and consistent evaluation, it's essential to use a structured rating system. This system will help you assess each candidate objectively and avoid bias. Without a uniform rating approach, there's a risk of making a poor hiring decision.

An effective rating system allows you to score or assess candidates against a defined set of criteria. Whether using a simple scoring system or a checklist of key skills, ensure that the same method is applied to all candidates throughout the interview process.

Our final tips for success

Do your homework: Carefully read each candidate's CV in detail to ensure you have a good idea of their skills and experience. It might also be worth searching their social media platforms, this will give you a greater insight of who they are as a person.

Be nice: Ensure you make your candidate feel at ease by smiling and engaging with what they are saying e.g. nodding your head. This will not only make them feel more comfortable, but will allow them to open up more.

Take notes: After several interviews, it is easy to get candidates' experiences mixed up. Make sure you write them down. 

Do not talk too much: Give your candidate the time to sell their skills and ability to do the role.

Creating a detailed and structured interview process is key to hiring the right candidate for your business. By carefully considering your approach - from defining the ideal candidate to asking the right questions and using a consistent rating system - you can ensure that you make more informed and fair hiring decisions.

Remember, the interview process is not just about assessing qualifications; it's about finding the person who will thrive in your role, contribute to your team, and help your organisation achieve its goals. With a thoughtful strategy in place, you’ll be better equipped to avoid costly hiring mistakes and build a stronger, more capable workforce.

Take the time to refine your process, stay objective, and always prioritise the candidate's skills and ability to succeed in the role. A well-structured interview process benefits not only your organisation but also the candidates, providing them with a clearer understanding of your expectations and fostering a positive experience for all involved.

For more help on ensuring your interview process is as robust as possible you can visit our contact page. Alternatively you can view the rest of our Employer resources.