Job interviews can be nerve-wracking for interviewers and candidates alike. There’s so much to discuss in such a short amount of time, with hiring decisions often made on the spot. However, with a little interviewer preparation before the interview, the process can run much smoother. You might search online for “interviewer preparation before interview example” to see how other recruiters have successfully prepared for their interviews. For example, you can watch mock interviews on YouTube or tutorials on which questions to ask and how to ask them. These offer helpful tips for interviewing someone for a job. 

To learn more about what to do before an interview, you might also consider shadowing a more experienced team member. This is a great way to get a close-up look at the interviewing process and what goes into hiring candidates for various roles. While videos and tutorial guides can be incredibly helpful, observing the process firsthand is one of the best ways to prepare for an interview. You can learn from interviewers’ mistakes, pick up on questioning habits that you like and dislike, and get a good idea of what a successful interview looks like. 

Interview intelligence software can also provide valuable guidance on how to structure interviews and improve the way you interact with candidates. Pillar is an interview intelligence platform that helps teams run more effective, unbiased interviews. The platform also offers interview coaching software to help decrease prep time and allow interviewers to ask smarter questions. With Pillar, you can transform your interviews, focusing your full attention on the candidate while the platform takes notes. You can also get question recommendations based on the type of role you’re hiring for. This kind of software is invaluable to anyone wanting to improve their interviewing skills using some of the most advanced technology on the market today.

How to Interview a Candidate

There are many ways to learn how to interview a candidate. You can find multiple resources online, and interview intelligence platforms like Pillar offer tools to assess your performance. Searching “how to conduct an interview example” or “how to conduct an interview questions” can yield many helpful results, demonstrating what a good interview looks like. Determining what questions to ask is one of the first steps to planning a successful interview. Here are some of the top interview questions you might ask candidates:

Why are you interested in this role?
How has your experience prepared you to work with our company?
How well do you handle stress?
What are your salary expectations?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Why are you the best candidate for this position? 

These are fairly standard questions to ask when conducting an interview, so you may want to ask a few more that are industry- or job-specific. When learning how to conduct a good interview, it’s important to think about what position you’re actually hiring for and what information might be most useful or relevant when vetting candidates. While job interviews only provide a snapshot of what each person has to offer, they are an excellent starting point for a potential ongoing relationship and can leave a lasting impression on everyone involved, so creating a positive experience is absolutely crucial. It can also be a good idea to write an interview script for the interviewer. This can help standardize the process across your organization. While each role is unique, there may be a set of questions that you are expected to ask all candidates, so practicing reading off a script is a great way to ensure that your interview goes according to plan and you hit on all of the most important points.

How to Start an Interview as the Interviewer

If you’re thinking about how to start an interview as the interviewer, it can be helpful to consider the basics. Who are you interviewing and what kind of role are they applying for? How much time do you have to chat with each candidate? As always, you should also look over your list of questions to practice reading them aloud and determine what, if anything, should be modified for greater relevance and clarity. While there isn’t necessarily a right or wrong answer in terms of how to start an interview conversation, as each situation is unique, it’s generally a good idea to begin by introducing yourself to the interviewee. You might also make a bit of small talk before settling into your questions.

Phone interviews are conducted in much the same way that face-to-face interviews are, but there are some important distinctions to be aware of. First, unlike in-person meetings, you will not be facing the interviewee, which eliminates body language and other important visual cues from the conversation. For this reason, it’s important to ensure that your questions are top-notch so that you can thoroughly vet candidates, even though you’re not speaking to them in person. You can try searching “how to start a phone interview as the interviewer” for a more detailed look at how this works. When learning how to start an interview as a recruiter, the most important thing is to consider the unique candidate sitting in front of you. Have your questions prepared beforehand, but be open to shifting the conversation should the candidate express interest in another topic. Be willing to hear their concerns and answer any questions they might have, either about the position or the interview itself.