Interviewing candidates is one, if not the most important part of your recruitment process!

It's also one of the hardest things to do well, because you need to make sure you are asking the right questions that are going to help you gauge whether the candidate is suitable for the role or not.

On top of that, you also need to work out if they are a good culture fit for the team.

And finally, the last piece of the puzzle, if their expectations are aligned with yours in terms of, salary, flexibility arrangements etc.

Doing all of this, whilst also ensuring the applicant has a positive candidate experience can be tough.

Here are our top tips on how to conduct effective and efficient interviews:

1. Include an Introduction!

This is so important, an interview can be a scary prospect and you want to make sure the other person is feeling comfortable so that they can freely communicate. A good way to do this is to include a rapport building introduction. Don’t just lunge into the interview. Talk about something casual like how their day has been and give them an insight into your day to initiate a relaxed setting.

Introduce yourself. Tell the candidate a bit about you, your role, and your journey at the company. Hearing about when you were new to the organisation is a great way for the candidate to relate to you and to feel more relaxed.

Another hugely important part is to explain the format of the interview and how long it will be. This doesn’t leave the candidate guessing and will keep everyone on track with timing.

Once the introductions are out of the way you can move on to finding out what you need to know about this person and their experience.

2. Types of Questions to ask

Prior to the interview, plan out what questions you will ask by first setting out expectations of the interview

What information are you wanting to know from this person by the end of the interview?

This should be simple to define from your job description and [having set out your ideal candidate persona] (https://streamtalent.com/blog/job-adverts-in-your-recruitment-marketing-strategy) as well as having any questions about their experience or background that you want to dig deeper into.

You then need to work out what kind of format of questions you will use to interview.

Common types of interview formats include:

• Structured
• Behavioural questions based
• Conversational based

Structural Questions

Structured questions are more formal and are very specific. They are a great way to understand a candidate’s personality and motivations.

Examples of structured questions are:

• ‘What are your objectives and goals’
• ‘What is your 5 year plan?’
• ‘What motivates you?’
• ‘What is your biggest weakness?’
• ‘What is your biggest strength?’
• 'What is the biggest challenge in your current role?’
• 'What do you like most about your current role?’

Behavioural Based Questions

Behavioural based questions are a great method to really understand a candidate’s previous experience from a behavioural point of view and to get an insight in to how they think and create solutions.

Examples of behavioural questions are:

• Tell me about a time when you handled a challenging situation?
• Tell me about a time when you made a mistake. What did you do to correct it?
• Tell me about a time when you were in conflict with a peer and how the situation was resolved?
• Tell me about how you work under pressure?
• Give me an example of how you set goals?

Conversational Questions

A conversational interview format is less formal and more of a discussion back and forth. This might be about the industry, about their role and their opinions, and is an interview that is led more by the conversation rather than structured around questions. This can be a great way to get to know the candidate better and to see if they would be a good culture fit. This type of format can often work well in customer focused roles or as a 2nd interview.

Examples of conversational topics could include:

• Opinions on new technologies or legislation
• Thoughts on the current state of the industry
• Stories from previous roles
• Conversations around interests and passions

You don’t have to limit yourself to one format only, it might be that a combination of all three types of questions work well in uncovering the information that you are wanting.

The candidate has a life outside of work

Remember to ask your interviewee about their life outside of work! This breaks the ice and will make both parties feel more comfortable!

3. Interviews are two-way streets!

Remember that the interviewee is there just as much to see if the role is a good fit for them as it is for you. And especially now with candidates being more selective than ever, interviews are an important part of showcasing your employer brand!

This doesn’t mean over-selling the company and talking about how everything is perfect. This means talking in detail about the role and the company and explaining what the day to day includes as well as the individual nuances about the business you work at.

Make sure you are including details around:

• The day-to-day role
• The team
• Expectations in the role
• The opportunity
• Career growth
• Company benefits and perks

It is the interviewer’s job to paint a picture of the role and company. Make sure as the interviewer that you are aware of all the company benefits and perks – your EVP.

Keep it real!

Nothing is perfect! Yes, make sure you are communicating the benefits of the role and company but most of all make sure it is authentic. This will help in finding the right person for the role. Candidates want to know the challenges and what they can realistically expect from the role and if you are upfront at the start, a level of trust is built as well as enabling the candidate to decide if the role is right for them or not.

4. Q&A

Always make time at the end of the interview for candidates to ask questions. As above, it is a two-way street and this the chance the interviewee has to really understand the role as well as for you to give the information that is needed.

5. Wrapping up the interview

One thing that is often overlooked at the end of an interview are the next steps. Where do we go from here?

Before the interview you should have a good idea of the next steps if you like the candidate and think they are a good fit for the role.

At the end of the interview if the next steps are clear to you e.g., you want them to meet the next person in the process then give them some basic feedback, explain to them what to expect and ask them what they think.

E.G; “Thanks for your time today, based on our conversation I think you could be a great fit for the role. The next steps at our end would be for you to meet the team lead to get a better understanding about XYZ, do you think you want to move on to the next stage?”

What you have done here is given some feedback and given them the opportunity to either kill the process or move it forward. This will not only provide a better candidate experience but also speed up the process which is great in the current competitive landscape.

It isn’t just the interviewee who should prepare for an interview, conducting an effective interview is vital in securing the right talent for your business. By following these simple steps and including a little bit of preparation and structure in your interview process, you can increase your employer brand, implement a positive candidate experience and ultimately increase the efficiency of your recruitment process and attract top talent.