Conducting a structured interview is one of the most effective ways for HR professionals to assess candidates in a fair, unbiased, and consistent manner. It allows for a comparison of all candidates based on the same criteria, ensuring a higher quality hiring process. Below are the best practices to follow:
1. Preparation Phase
Define the Job Requirements: Before the interview, make sure you have a clear understanding of the job description and the key competencies needed. Break the job down into skills, experiences, and attributes required.
Create a Standardized Set of Questions: Develop a list of job-relevant questions that address the key competencies you’ve identified. These questions should be consistent for all candidates. Common categories for structured interview questions include:
- Experience-based questions: “Tell me about a time when you had to lead a project.”
- Behavioral questions: “How did you handle a situation where a project deadline was at risk?”
- Situational questions: “How would you approach a task with conflicting priorities?”
- Skills-based questions: “What tools or software do you use to manage projects?”
Determine the Rating System: Establish a scoring rubric for assessing candidates’ responses. A common approach is to use a 1-5 scale, where each number corresponds to a defined level of competency.
2. During the Interview
- Stick to the Script: Ask the same set of questions in the same order to all candidates to maintain fairness. Avoid veering off-topic or allowing candidates to “lead” the conversation.
- Ask Open-ended Questions: Encourage candidates to elaborate by asking open-ended questions that start with “Tell me about…” or “How would you…”. This promotes discussion and gives you a fuller picture of the candidate’s abilities.
- Allow Candidates Time to Respond: Give candidates adequate time to answer, especially for more complex or reflective questions. Silence after a response can prompt further elaboration.
- Listen Actively: Pay full attention to the candidate’s responses, and avoid interrupting them. Take notes to remember key points and insights that will help when assessing their performance.
- Stay Objective: Stick to the established criteria and avoid being influenced by personal biases. It’s important to be impartial and evaluate the candidate based on their qualifications and responses.
3. Evaluation Phase
- Use the Rating System: After each question, immediately rate the candidate’s response based on the established rubric. Don’t delay, as this helps keep your judgment consistent.
- Be Consistent: Use the same criteria and scoring scale for every candidate. This makes the evaluation process more transparent and objective.
- Take Detailed Notes: Document specific reasons for the scores you assign. This can help explain your decision-making process and serve as a reference if you need to justify your choices later.
- Compare Across Candidates: After completing all interviews, compare candidates’ ratings side by side. Consider not just the overall score, but also the detailed responses to each question, as each answer can highlight different strengths.
4. Post-Interview Phase
Review and Discuss: If you’re conducting interviews as part of a panel, discuss your ratings and observations with other interviewers. This ensures that all perspectives are considered before making a final decision.
Follow Up and Provide Feedback: Structured interviews also provide valuable data for feedback to candidates, especially when they’re unsuccessful. Specific feedback based on their responses can help improve future applications and interview performances.
Make Your Decision Based on Evidence: Once you’ve gathered all data from the interviews, make a decision based on the candidate’s scores and evidence provided through their responses. Focus on the skills and attributes that are most important for the role.
Additional Tips
- Maintain Legal and Ethical Standards: Ensure that your questions are compliant with employment law and don’t unintentionally discriminate against any protected groups. Always focus on job-related criteria.
- Don’t Let Personal Bias Affect the Process: It’s important to guard against biases based on factors like appearance, personal rapport, or unconscious preferences. Focus solely on the candidate’s qualifications and responses to the interview questions.
- Be Transparent About the Process: Let candidates know that you’re conducting a structured interview with specific questions and a clear evaluation system. This helps to set expectations and makes the process more transparent.
- Keep It Professional: Structured interviews can still be conversational. Keep the tone professional but welcoming to encourage candidates to be open and engaged.
By following these best practices, HR professionals can increase the fairness, consistency, and effectiveness of their hiring decisions, leading to better outcomes for both the organization and the candidates.
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