Top Effective Interviewing Techniques You Must Follow

Interviewing isn't just a box to check in the hiring process; it's the gateway to building a stellar team to drive your organization's success. According to a report by Glassdoor, companies with a strong hiring process are 67% more likely to be high-performing organizations. That's a significant advantage you wouldn't want to miss out on!

Effective interviewing techniques are the key to unearthing the right talent. They help you identify individuals who not only have the skills and qualifications but also possess the cultural fit and soft skills that align with your company's values and goals. Without these techniques, you might end up with a revolving door of employees, costing your business time and money.

Now, let's delve into the heart of the matter and explore the top interviewing techniques that can transform your hiring game.

Pre-Interview Preparation

Pre-interview preparation is a crucial phase that sets the stage for a successful hiring and interviewing process. It involves researching the candidate, defining job requirements, preparing questions, and deciding on the interview setting. Here's a detailed look at each aspect:

1. Research the Candidate

• How to Review Resumes and Cover Letters

  Reviewing a candidate's resume and cover letter is the first step in getting to know their professional background.

  • Look for consistency in their employment history to ensure there are no unexplained gaps or frequent job changes.

  • Identify relevant experience, skills, and qualifications that match the job requirements.

  • Pay attention to achievements, certifications, and specific accomplishments that stand out.

• Utilizing LinkedIn and Other Online Resources

  In the digital age, leveraging online platforms can provide valuable insights into a candidate's professional profile.

  • Visit the candidate's LinkedIn profile to gain a deeper understanding of their professional network, endorsements, and recommendations.

  • Explore other online resources such as personal blogs, professional websites, or portfolio pages for additional information about their expertise and interests.

2. Define Job Requirements

• Identifying Key Skills and Qualifications

  Defining the essential skills and qualifications required for the job is crucial for a successful hire.

  • Collaborate with team members to identify the specific technical skills, soft skills, and qualifications needed for the role.

  • Consider the long-term objectives of the position and how it fits within the organization's goals.

• Creating a Clear Job Description

  A well-crafted job description serves as a roadmap for the hiring process and attracts suitable candidates.

  • Ensure the job description is clear and concise, avoiding jargon or vague terminology.

  • Include information about responsibilities, reporting structures, and any unique aspects of the role.

  • Specify the location, working hours, and any special requirements.

3. Prepare Questions

• Types of Questions (Behavioral, Situational, Open-Ended)

  The choice of interview questions is essential for understanding a candidate's qualifications and assessing their fit for the role.

  • Behavioral Questions: These questions aim to uncover how a candidate has dealt with past situations. They often start with phrases like "Tell me about a time when…"

  • Situational Questions: These questions present hypothetical scenarios and assess a candidate's problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

  • Open-Ended Questions: These encourage candidates to share their thoughts, experiences, and perspectives more freely.

• Legal Considerations (Avoiding Discriminatory Questions)

  Adhering to legal guidelines is vital to ensure a fair and unbiased interview process.

  • Avoid questions related to a candidate's age, gender, marital status, race, religion, or personal matters that are not relevant to the job.

  • Focus on qualifications, skills, and experiences that directly pertain to the role.

4. Choose the Right Setting

• Creating a Comfortable and Professional Interview Environment

  The interview setting, whether in-person or virtual, plays a significant role in making candidates feel at ease and leaving a positive impression.

  • In-Person Interviews: Select a quiet, professional, and well-lit environment. Greet candidates warmly and create a comfortable atmosphere.

  • Virtual Interviews: Ensure you have a suitable backdrop, good lighting, and test your technology in advance to minimize interruptions and technical glitches.

• Virtual vs. In-Person Interviews

  The choice between virtual and in-person interviews can impact your process.

  • In-Person Interviews: Traditionally preferred, they allow for direct interaction and observation of non-verbal cues.

  • Virtual Interviews: Gaining popularity for their convenience, they provide flexibility and are particularly useful in remote or global hiring scenarios.

By following these detailed steps in your pre-interview preparation, you'll be well-prepared to take such questions and conduct effective interviews that lead to better hiring decisions.

Building Rapport

Building rapport with job candidates is an often underestimated aspect of the interview process.

1. The Importance of a Positive First Impression

• Greeting the Candidate Warmly: A warm and friendly greeting sets the tone for the interview. A handshake (in-person) and a sincere virtual greeting can make candidates feel at ease.

• Setting a Friendly Tone: Begin with some friendly small talk to create a comfortable atmosphere and express appreciation for the candidate's interest in the position.

2. Active Listening

• Techniques for Active Listening: Active listening is key to understanding candidates better. Techniques include maintaining eye contact, nodding in agreement, and using verbal cues like "I see" or "Go on."

• Non-Verbal Cues to Consider: Pay attention to candidates' body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions to gain insights into their comfort level and demeanor.

3. Establishing Trust

• Building a Safe and Open Atmosphere: Create an environment where candidates feel safe sharing their experiences and thoughts. Encourage open communication and assure candidates of confidentiality.

• Avoiding Judgmental Behaviors: Maintain a non-judgmental attitude throughout the interview. Stay neutral and open-minded to ensure candidates feel heard and valued.

Structuring the Interview

A structured interview process ensures consistency and fairness in candidate assessments.

1. Agenda for Interview Technique

• Setting the Agenda for the Interview: Begin by explaining the purpose and agenda of the interview. Provide candidates with a clear roadmap of what to expect.

• Explaining the Interview Process: In addition to the agenda, describe the interview format and components. Transparency helps candidates feel at ease.

2. Questioning Techniques

• Asking Clear and Concise Questions: Craft questions that are straightforward and directly related to the job requirements. Avoid ambiguity and leading questions.

• Following up on Responses: After candidates respond to questions, delve deeper to gain a more comprehensive understanding of specific situations or examples from their experience.

  3. Using a Scorecard or Evaluation Rubric

• How to Create an Evaluation Tool: Develop an evaluation tool that aligns with job requirements and includes criteria for technical skills, soft skills, and cultural fit.

• Rating and Ranking Candidates: Use the evaluation tool to objectively assess and compare candidates. Assign scores based on their performance and responses to various interview components.

Mastering Behavioral Interviewing

Behavioral interviewing is a powerful technique to assess a candidate's past experiences and skills.

1. Explanation of the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

• The STAR method is a structured approach to evaluating a candidate's past experiences. It stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. By using this method, you can gain insights into how a candidate handles challenges and their accomplishments.

2. Using STAR to Assess Past Experiences and Skills

• Implementing the STAR method in your interview allows you to uncover specific examples of a candidate's problem-solving abilities and achievements.

3. Sample Behavioral Questions

• Utilize sample behavioral questions to assess a candidate's abilities. Questions may revolve around their teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and adaptability.

Exploring Situational Interviewing

Situational interviewing helps you ask questions and assess a candidate's decision-making and problem-solving skills.

1. What is Situational Interviewing?

• Situational interviewing involves presenting candidates with hypothetical scenarios related to the job and assessing how they would handle these situations.

2. Crafting Situational Questions

• Create situational questions that reflect the real challenges and responsibilities of the role. These questions should be clear and relevant to the position.

3. Assessing Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills

• Evaluate a candidate's problem-solving and decision-making abilities by examining their responses to situational questions. Look for logical thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to make sound judgments.

Here are the top 10 technical questions hiring managers ask multiple candidates during an interview process.

The Power of Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions encourage candidates to provide detailed and thoughtful responses.

1. The Benefits of Open-Ended Questions

• Open-ended questions allow candidates to express themselves freely, offering you a deeper understanding of their thought processes and experiences.

2. Examples of Open-Ended Questions

• Examples of open-ended questions can include asking candidates to describe their most significant achievement, share a challenging situation they resolved, or outline their long-term career goals.

3. How to Interpret and Assess Responses

• Interpret and assess responses to open-ended questions by looking for clarity, relevant details, and the candidate's ability to communicate effectively.

Evaluating Soft Skills

Soft skills are often as important as technical qualifications in the workplace.

1. The Importance of Soft Skills in the Workplace

• Understand the significance of soft skills in fostering a positive work environment, promoting collaboration, and ensuring effective communication.

2. Techniques for Assessing Soft Skills

• Use techniques such as behavioral and situational questions to evaluate a candidate's soft skills, including communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving.

3. Sample Questions to Evaluate Soft Skills

• Sample questions for evaluating soft skills may revolve around how a candidate collaborates with colleagues, handles conflict, or adapts to change.

Handling Difficult Situations

Not all interviews with job seekers go smoothly; you may encounter challenging situations.

1. Addressing Nervous or Anxious Candidates

• Offer support and empathy to candidates who appear nervous or anxious. Create a calming environment and assure them that you value their input.

2. Dealing with Unexpected Answers

• When candidates provide unexpected or unconventional responses, maintain professionalism and adapt your approach. Use follow-up questions to gain clarity.

3. Managing Candidates Who Don't Meet the Job Requirements

• If a candidate clearly doesn't meet the job requirements, handle the situation diplomatically. Provide constructive feedback and thank them for their time.

Here are some guides for the interview preparations that we have assembled for you:

• Recruiter’s Guide to PHP Developer Interview Questions

• Recruiter’s Guide to Front End Developer Interview Questions

• Top 20 Interview Questions and Answers for Full Stack Developers

Talently.ai by Remotebase: Your Best Interview Preparation Partner

When it comes to interview preparation, having the right tools and resources at your disposal can make a world of difference. Talently.ai by Remotebase is your trusted AI interviewer that redefines the interviewing experience. Here's why it stands out as the top choice to answer behavioral interview questions for candidates and recruiters alike:

AI-Powered Interviews

Talently.ai offers a revolutionary AI-powered job interview and experience. It conducts live, conversational interviews that closely emulate human interaction, making candidates feel at ease while showcasing their skills and potential. No more intimidating, impersonal interviews. With Talently.ai, you'll experience:

• Real-time Evaluations: Get immediate feedback and evaluations during the interview, allowing you to identify top performers effortlessly.

• Human-like Interaction: Talently.ai provides a natural and conversational interview environment, creating a more comfortable and realistic experience.

• Automated Scheduling: Say goodbye to the back-and-forth emails. Talently.ai streamlines the interview scheduling process, saving you time and effort.

Detailed Candidate Scoring

One of the standout features of Talently.ai is its ability to provide in-depth, objective scores for every interviewee. These scores offer actionable insights, aiding in precise decision-making. By using Talently.ai, you can benefit from:

• Objective Candidate Assessment: Rely on data-driven, unbiased candidate assessments that help you make informed hiring decisions.

• Actionable Insights Provided: Understand a candidate's strengths and areas for improvement, giving you valuable information for follow-up and onboarding.

• Precise Decision-Making: With detailed scoring, you can confidently choose the best fit for your team and organization.

Any Role in the World

Talently.ai is incredibly versatile and adaptive. It allows you to input any job description from anywhere in the world and watch as it conducts precise interviews tailored to the specified role. Whether you're a hiring manager or a developer, marketer, or project manager, Talently.ai has you covered with:

• Role-Specific Interviewing: Talently.ai tailors its interviews and questions to match the specific requirements and qualifications of the job you're hiring for.

• Tailored Evaluation Metrics: Metrics are customized to assess candidates based on their suitability for a particular role.

• Tailored Questions Based on Roles: No more generic, one-size-fits-all questions. Talently.ai adapts its questions to the unique demands of the position.

Introducing Live Coding Interviews

For technical roles, Talently.ai has a remarkable feature – live coding interviews. This capability allows candidates to demonstrate their coding skills in real time, showcasing their abilities with languages like Java, Go, Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby, C#(.Net), and more.

With Talently.ai by Remotebase, you'll experience a new way to vet and hire the talent you desire. No more manual screening, no more subjective evaluations. It's a smarter way to recruit, and it's available for you right now.

So, why wait? Experience the future of interviewing the right candidates with Talently.ai. Get started for free and discover a game-changing approach to hiring the best talent for your organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most effective interview method?

The most effective interview method often depends on the job and the organization's specific needs. However, structured behavioral interviews, for example, which focus on past experiences and behaviors, are widely considered effective as they provide insights into how a candidate will perform in the future.

What are the 5 C's of interviewing?

The 5 C's of interviewing are:

• Competence: Assessing a candidate's skills and qualifications.

• Character: Evaluating a candidate's integrity, ethics, and cultural fit.

• Chemistry: Considering the candidate's fit within the team and company culture.

• Culture: Ensuring alignment with the organization's values and mission.

• Communication: Assessing a candidate's ability to convey ideas effectively.

What are five 5 interview strategies?

Five behavioral interview questions and strategies include:

• Behavioral Interviews: Focusing on past behaviors and experiences.

• Situational Interviews: Presenting hypothetical scenarios to assess problem-solving.

• Panel Interviews: Involving multiple interviewers for diverse perspectives.

• Structured Interviews: Using a standardized set of questions for consistency.

• Video Interviews: Conducting interviews remotely, often via platforms like Zoom or Skype.

Try Talently.ai Free for 2 Weeks