When holding interviews, you have two main aims. The first one is to ask the right questions to enable you to find the best candidate for your role. The second aim is to present yourself and your organization in a positive light so that the candidate will yearn for a positive callback. That said, interviewing isn’t easy, not even for the most experienced recruiters, and making mistakes in the interview process can easily happen. This article discusses the five most common interviewing mistakes to make, and what you can do to avoid them.
1. Asking Inappropriate or Irrelevant Questions
In interviews, steer clear of questions that can be deemed discriminatory in nature or ones that will not yield meaningful information about the candidate. I once worked with a manager who read a few too many interview tips from the likes of the recruiters at Microsoft who liked to ask questions such as, “How would you move Mount Fuji?”. His go-to question was, “If you were to describe yourself as a kitchen utensil, what would it be and why?” Abstract or ‘coding’ questions might work for some jobs that heavily rely on the solving of complex problems, but in reality, these will not yield information about your candidate that helps you make an informed decision about their suitability for the role.
Questions that are inappropriate can cause more complicated legal risks. I once had to respond to a gender discrimination complaint from a candidate who was asked the question, “Are you planning on starting a family soon?”, a clear nod to seeing if she would be heading off on maternity leave in the near future.
Using a script is the best approach to asking the right questions. Behavioral questions aligned to the role will use past performance as the best indicator of future performance. An example of these will be ‘STAR’ questions that ask for the situation, task, action, and result. Be aware of the different types of discrimination and steer clear of questions that touch these topics.
Key Takeaways:
- Avoid abstract or irrelevant questions.
- Steer clear of potentially discriminatory questions.
- Use a script with behavioral questions aligned to the role.
2. Talking Too Much
Many recruiters and hiring managers are great at what they do because they love to talk and make great connections. This is a double-edged sword. I once interviewed with a manager who struggled to let the candidate talk at all. He was explaining the role in a lot of detail and selling it very well. He also spoke at length about himself, what kind of manager he is, and what kind of people he works best with. Worse still, when I interjected to ask questions of my own, the manager would answer them first, before the candidate. We left the interview knowing very little about the candidate’s attributes. They probably felt the whole process was a waste of time.
It’s often suggested that in an interview, 70% of the talking should be done by the candidate and the remaining 30% by the interviewer. To ensure you don’t talk too much, put a plan together for the interview. Think about what information you need to find out, and what questions need to be asked to evidence both this and the role’s job description. Asking behavioral questions ensures that candidates will keep talking as opposed to using just “yes” or “no” questions.
Finally, if you love to talk, then get this out of your system early by delivering a little blurb about the role by way of an introduction. This has the added benefit of breaking the ice with candidates too.
Key Takeaways:
- Aim for candidates to do 70% of the talking.
- Prepare a plan with necessary information and questions.
- Start with a brief introduction to break the ice.
3. Letting Bias Make the Decision for You
Whereas unconscious bias might be difficult to eradicate, it’s vital to be aware of what it is and how it can be managed.
I worked with an interviewer once who was very effective but was easily led by ‘recency bias’, a tendency to hire the last person to be interviewed. Another interviewer in my company allowed the ‘halo effect’ to guide her decision-making (in her case, it was candidates who attended the same university that she did). Finally, another interviewer would be easily swayed by candidates that talked the talk, wooing him with information and compliments about our company. This is often referred to as ‘cultural noise.’
There are plenty of other biases to be aware of. ‘First impression bias’ involves making a decision about a candidate within seconds of meeting them, and ‘contrast effect’ is being influenced by the performance of the previous candidate (e.g., if the previous candidate performed poorly, the subsequent candidate looks better).
As mentioned before, bias can often only be managed. The best way to do this is by using a scoring sheet to evaluate all candidates fairly and by seeking ‘contrary evidence’ questions that challenge your beliefs and biases about that candidate.
Key Takeaways:
- Recognize and manage various types of biases.
- Use a scoring sheet for fair evaluation.
- Seek questions that challenge your biases.
4. Not Representing the Organization Appropriately
Your mission as an interviewer is to have every candidate leave the meeting hoping and waiting for that callback. Driving the employer brand is a vital component of any interview, and if you represent yourself poorly, you represent the organization poorly, and candidates might withdraw from the process.
I once worked with a recruiter who was habitually late for interviews. They would also be very rude to candidates, such as not listening to them, answering text messages while they were speaking, and interrupting them. Their hire conversion rate was poor, as many candidates who were offered roles simply wouldn’t accept them.
Hospitality goes a long way in job interviews. At the start of the process, make some small talk and offer the candidate a drink; this relaxes them, and a relaxed candidate will give the best answers. Allow time for candidates to answer questions and show patience when they need a moment to think about their answer. Make good eye contact, smile, and converse with the candidate in a natural way. By turning questions into conversation, you will build rapport and learn about the candidate three-dimensionally. Finally, at the end of the interview, thank the candidate for their attendance and allow time for questions.
Key Takeaways:
- Always be punctual and respectful.
- Make small talk and offer refreshments.
- Show patience, good eye contact, and genuine interest.
5. Not Focusing on the Onboarding
It’s vital to focus on what happens after the interview, as much as the interview itself. The onboarding experience is a vital part of the employee lifecycle; organizations that have a strong onboarding process see their new hire retention rates increase by 82%.
An example of where effective onboarding made all the difference was during a graduate recruitment process one autumn. A sister business unit did not give graduates a training plan until after they started, prompting a few to become nervous and leave. Another company didn’t introduce graduates to the wider business or their peers for two weeks, creating an irreparable feeling of isolation. Finally, during my time in Dubai, we sadly once failed to meet a new joiner at the airport, meaning they were left at immigration without an entry visa or a ride to the staff accommodation for over two hours.
Such experiences create frustration and fear, and ultimately, turnover. Nevertheless, it’s easy to create amazing onboarding processes that support the employer, the employee, and their family. Prepare an onboarding plan from the moment the employee is offered the job, and ensure it contains a job description, a plan for the first few months, and cross-check all practicalities like desk space, equipment, travel arrangements, and a visa. Finally, ensure space and time for socialization and ‘getting to know you’ activities, so your new employee feels right at home from day one.
Key Takeaways:
- Prepare an onboarding plan early.
- Include job descriptions and first-month plans.
- Ensure socialization opportunities for new hires.
Final Thoughts
Be aware that whereas you want to avoid making mistakes in the interview process to find the right candidate and to ensure a positive employer brand, some mistakes can cause a great deal of damage. The first step in minimizing mistakes when conducting interviews is knowing what to look out for. Some mistakes are easy to avoid, whereas others, like removing unconscious bias from the process, take practice and preparation. Reflect on each interview you conduct, and soon you will be delivering them smoothly and effectively, to everyone’s benefit.