Being asked to interview candidates doesn’t automatically mean you know how to conduct an interview.
Without structure, you can easily lose control of the conversation, compare candidates unfairly, and even make a bad hire.
This guide walks you through a practical interviewing process to help you make confident hiring decisions.
- Conduct effective interviews by following 5 key steps:
- Introduction
- Company and role overview
- Interview questions
- Candidate questions
- Conclusion and next steps
- Ask better interview questions by balancing closed-ended and open-ended, behavioral, situational, and emotional intelligence questions.
- Avoid talking too much, asking leading questions, not listening actively, skipping notes, and relying on others’ opinions when evaluating candidates.
- Never ask questions that are irrelevant to the role, overly personal, discriminatory, or uncomfortable for candidates to answer.
- Create a better virtual interview experience by preparing your setup, choosing a quiet environment, and using a reliable communication tool like Pumble by CAKE.com.
How to conduct an interview in 5 steps
Follow these 5 steps to conduct an effective job interview.
Step #1: Introduction
Start every interview by introducing yourself and other interviewers, if any. Familiarize the candidate with the interview flow, duration, and the topics it will cover.
According to Christy Morgan, a human resources expert and career coach, the main purpose of the introduction is to set clear expectations regarding the interview structure.
“Instead of jumping right in, first outline the conversation structure so expectations are clear.
For example, the interviewer may explain that they’ll ask several questions first, before sharing more about the organization, then opening the floor to the candidate’s questions.
A clear structure leads to a smoother discussion for both parties.”
Here’s an example of a good interview introduction:
“Hello Maria, thank you for joining us today for this interview.
My name is Peter, and I’m the Content Director at Alpha Marketing. With me today is Eve, our Copywriting Manager.
I’ll start by telling you more about the company and the copywriter role. Then I’ll ask you some questions about your experience, and lastly, you’ll have a chance to ask us any questions you may have.
The interview will take about 30 minutes.”
А strong introduction helps interviewers keep the conversation focused and puts candidates at ease.
Step #2: Company and role overview
Next, give a brief overview of the company and the role the candidate is applying for. While the job post should cover the basics, use this opportunity to share additional details about the role, team, and responsibilities.
You can say something like:
“Alpha Marketing is a marketing agency founded in 2016. We provide digital marketing services for clients across different industries, including content marketing, SEO, social media, and paid advertising.
Over the past 10 years, the company has grown to more than 200 employees, working both remotely and from offices across 5 countries around the world.
The copywriting role you’ve applied for is part of our copywriting team, which currently has 15 team members, with Eve as the copywriting manager. Our copywriters work on creating content for a variety of channels, including blog articles, landing pages, social media campaigns, and marketing materials for our clients.
Daily responsibilities for this role typically include researching topics, writing and editing content, collaborating with designers and marketing specialists, and using client feedback to improve content performance.”
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Step #3: Questions
To control the interview direction, you should ask predefined questions relevant to the role and culture fit assessment.
A standardized set of questions ensures an effective and objective candidate evaluation. Without one, interviewers may focus on different areas or miss important information, making it harder to compare candidates fairly.
We’ll cover some of the best interview questions to ask (and what to avoid) later in this guide.
Step #4: Candidate’s questions
A job interview is a two-way process, so it’s important to give candidates the chance to ask questions about the position, team, or company. This shows that you value their time and interest in the opportunity.
Applicants typically ask for additional information about:
- Career advancement opportunities
- Role responsibilities
- Expected results
A candidate’s questions can also help you understand what matters most to them and whether the role aligns with their goals.
However, keep in mind that not having questions doesn’t mean a candidate isn’t interested or motivated. Some candidates may already have the information they need or may feel they covered their main questions during the interview.
Step #5: Conclusion and next steps
To close out an interview effectively, explain the next steps in the hiring process, such as further interviews or tests.
Letting your candidates know when they can expect feedback from you will make their waiting time less stressful.
For example, you can say:
“Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today.
We’d like to invite you to complete a short assignment, so we can better understand your problem-solving approach and thought process. I’ll send it to you in the call chat now.
You’ll have 5 business days to complete it. Once we receive your submission, you can expect feedback and an update on the next steps within 3 business days.”
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Once you’ve hired someone new, the next step is to ensure they have a proper onboarding. Read our guide to learn how to make it happen:
Best interview questions to ask
When it comes to what interview questions to ask, these are some types of questions and examples you can always rely on.
Closed-ended and open-ended questions
Closed-ended questions have short and limited answers, such as “yes” or “no”, multiple choice, or rating scales. Some popular examples for job interviews are:
- Are you available to work full-time?
- How many years of experience do you have as a copywriter?
- Are you willing to travel if the role requires it?
On the other hand, open-ended questions require longer, more expressive responses and encourage the candidate to describe their experience, motivation, and skills. For example:
- Can you tell me about your professional background?
- What interests you in this position?
- What accomplishments are you most proud of in your career?
- What strengths do you think make you a good fit for this role?
Because interview time is limited, it’s best to balance closed- and open-ended questions throughout the conversation.
Behavioral and situational questions
Behavioral questions refer to candidates’ actions in a specific situation, while situational questions ask candidates how they would react in hypothetical situations.
These questions give valuable insight into candidates’:
- Problem-solving skills
- Thought process
- Values
Let’s take a look at some behavioral questions you can ask your candidates.
- Tell me about a time when you faced a conflict with your coworker. How did you handle it?
- Tell me about a time when you motivated and supported your colleagues.
- Give me an example of a time when you made a mistake. How did you handle it?
And, here are some situational questions to use as inspiration.
- What would you do if you struggled with a project deadline?
- What would you do if you disagreed with your team members about how to complete or organize a task or project?
- What would you do if you realized you made a serious mistake?
Before asking behavioral or situational questions, decide which values or skills you want to assess. This helps you evaluate every candidate using the same criteria.
Emotional intelligence questions
Technical skills are important, but emotional intelligence can be just as valuable.
Asking EQ-focused questions helps you understand how candidates:
- Respond to feedback.
- Manage conflict.
- Work with others.
- Handle challenges.
Here are some examples of questions you can ask to learn more about a person’s EQ:
- What motivates/inspires you?
- Tell me about the last time you received feedback you didn’t agree with. How did you handle that situation?
- If you got offered a major investment opportunity to start a company tomorrow, what would it be and why?
- Tell me about a time you made a mistake, failed to meet a deadline, or got into a conflict at a job. Were you able to resolve the issue/repair the damage? How?
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5 Common interviewer mistakes to avoid
Avoiding these common interviewing mistakes will help you create a better candidate experience, gather more reliable information, and make fairer hiring decisions.
#1: Talking too much
While it’s important to give candidates all the information they need, they should do most of the talking.
Your role is to guide the conversation, ask thoughtful questions, and give candidates enough time to answer without interrupting.
To ensure you don’t spend too much time talking, follow the 80/20 rule. The candidate should speak for about 80% of the interview, while you spend the remaining 20% primarily asking questions.
#2: Leading questions
Leading questions are designed to encourage a specific answer by hinting at the response you’re expecting.
If you ask leading questions, candidates are likely to tell you what they think you want to hear instead of giving an honest answer.
For example, avoid questions such as:
- You enjoy working under pressure, don’t you?
- Our team moves very quickly. You’re comfortable with that, aren’t you?
- You’d have no problem working overtime when needed, right?
Instead, ask open questions that allow candidates to answer in their own words.
#3: Lack of active listening
An interview should be a two-way conversation, not a scripted list of questions.
If you’re too focused on what to ask next, you can miss valuable information and meaningful opportunities for good follow-up questions.
Show candidates you’re engaged in the conversation by:
- Maintaining eye contact
- Nodding
- Using open body language
To make sure you’ve understood their responses correctly, paraphrase what they’ve said and ask clarifying questions when needed.
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If you want to learn why body language is important and how to improve it in virtual meetings, make sure to read our blog post:
#4: Not taking notes
You might think you’ll remember everything a candidate says, but important details can easily be forgotten.
In addition to recording responses, make notes about your evaluation while the interview is still fresh in your mind.
#5: Bandwagon evaluation
Bandwagon evaluation happens when interviewers unintentionally let someone else’s opinion influence their own assessment of a candidate. This is especially common if the other opinions come from employees that are higher up in the organization.
For example, let’s say you’re the third person on an interview panel, and the other two speak very positively about the candidate. You might start looking for evidence that supports their opinion instead of forming your own.
To avoid this unconscious bias, score each candidate independently using a predefined evaluation criteria before discussing them with the rest of the group. Focus on the candidate’s responses, skills, and past experience rather than the opinions of others.
Questions you should never ask in an interview
Some interview questions are inappropriate because they ask for information that is:
- Irrelevant to the role
- Too personal
- Could be considered discriminatory
- Uncomfortable for the candidate to answer
Here are some questions to avoid when conducting a job interview:
- How old are you?
- Are you married?
- How does your partner feel about you pursuing this position?
- Do you plan to start a family soon?
- Have you experienced any serious illnesses in the past year?
- What religion do you practice?
- Where are you originally from?
- Do you have any disabilities?
Stay away from these and similar questions to keep the interview respectful and reduce the risk of violating employment laws.
Conducting virtual interviews 101
Even if your team isn’t fully remote, virtual interviews can help you interview candidates faster and more efficiently.
To learn why, we spoke to Tamara Spasojevic, a talent acquisition manager at CAKE.com.
“Remote interviewing allows for a higher volume of interviews to be conducted on a daily basis, as it reduces the time spent welcoming and greeting candidates in on-site interviews.”
To ensure remote interview success, prepare your setup in advance. Test your camera, microphone, and internet connection before the interview, choose a quiet environment, and have a backup plan in case technical issues occur.
For virtual interviews without technical hiccups, you need a reliable team communication app, like Pumble.
Pumble by CAKE.com lets you:
- Host video calls. Conduct virtual interviews with high-quality video and audio.
- Blur your background. Maintain a professional appearance and minimize distractions, wherever you are.
- Share your screen with annotations. Present information, demonstrate processes, and highlight important details.
- Send messages and files in the in-call chat. Share links, documents, or assignments directly during the conversation.
- Record your meetings. Revisit interviews later, or share recordings with team members who couldn’t attend.
You don’t have to worry about connecting with candidates, even though they are not part of your workspace. Anyone can join a Pumble call through a meeting link.
To make the interview process even smoother, you can use Pumble’s guest access to invite candidates as single-channel guests. This way, they can view the information shared for their interview, such as relevant files and conversations, while keeping the rest of your workspace private.
You can also manage and share your Pumble meetings from Google Calendar to keep your schedule organized.
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If you’re part of an HR team, discover practical ways Pumble can improve communication and collaboration at every stage of the employee journey:
Make a great interview experience for candidates with Pumble by CAKE.com
By preparing properly, following a structured approach, and using a robust communication tool, you can make interviews a great experience for both candidates and hiring teams.
From organizing virtual interviews to keeping all communication in one place, Pumble helps you create a professional candidate experience from start to finish.
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